North Carolina, Civil Action Court Papers, 1712-1970
This collection includes digital images of civil court records filed in North Carolina counties between 1737 and 1968. Civil court actions contain a variety of records with information of genealogical and historical value whether in adversary or ex parte proceedings. Civil suits were generally brought to settle questions of land ownership, unpaid debts, unfulfilled contracts, and unperformed agreements. Suits concerning dower, breach of contract, and slander were frequent. Divorces were included. The legitimating of bastard children fell within the province of this court. The records also include some records of slave emancipation and of naturalization proceedings. This collection is being published as images become available.
North Carolina, Civil Action Court Papers
What is in This Collection?
This collection includes a variety of records, including records that sometimes state family relationships, where either adversary proceedings or ex parte proceedings. Civil actions were generally brought to settle questions of land ownership, unpaid debts, unfulfilled contracts, and unperformed agreements. They include divorces, suits concerning dower, breach of contract, slander, slave manumissions, naturalizations and legitimization of bastard children. These records are in chronological order. There are indexes to some of them and there are dockets which can be used as an index to the actual court records. The collection covers the years 1712 to 1970.
To Browse This Collection
| You can browse through images in this collection using the waypoints on the Collection Browse Page for North Carolina, Civil Action Court Papers, 1712-1970. |
Additional records and/or images may be added to this collection in the future.
What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:
Court
- Names of interested parties
- Date of court proceeding or transaction
- Details of the case
- Amount of monies exchanged or paid
- Names of relatives, neighbors, or witnesses
- Residences
- Occupations
Pre-1868 County courts, sometimes called the County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, handled both civil and criminal cases. Minutes contain such matters as estate, land, illegitimacy, apprenticeships, bonds, certificates granting freedom to slaves, and more. Many of the original volumes have been lost or severely damaged. Most surviving volumes are in the state archives. In addition to having microfilms of many county court records, the library also has published abstracts many of the pre-1868 minute books. These publications are indexed.
1806–present: Superior Courts of Law were established in each county in 1806. Though the superior courts acted concurrently with the Court of Common Pleas, they handled more serious or complex civil and criminal cases. In 1868, the Superior Courts of Law merged with the Superior Court of Equity.
1806–1868: Superior Courts of Equity were also created in 1806. Their purpose was to deal with fairness issues. Most cases related to probate and land matters, and records generally listed heirs. In 1868, they merged with the Superior Court of Law.
Collection Content
Sample Images
1856 Suit Filling
1854 Summons
1856 Warrant
Collection Details
"North Carolina, Civil Action Court Papers, 1712-1970." Images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 14 June 2024. Department of Archives and History, Raleigh.
