Series 245 - Records of the Third Circuit Court Clerk

Identity area

Reference code

US HSA 245

Title

Records of the Third Circuit Court Clerk

Date(s)

  • Undated, 1849-1912 (Creation)

Level of description

Series

Extent and medium

5.4 cubic feet in 13 5-inch boxes.

Context area

Name of creator

(1847)

Administrative history

On October 8, 1840, Kamehameha III granted the first constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom, which vested the judicial power of government in a Supreme Court, consisting of the King as chief judge, Premier (kuhina nui), and four individuals appointed by the representative body. Island courts held by their respective governors functioned as circuit courts on their respective island. The island governors were given powers to appoint judges who functioned as district magistrates for the island. Chapter XLVII of the Laws of 1842 mandated that the Supreme judges assemble in Honolulu each June and in Lahaina each December to try cases appealed to them. Selection criteria for foreign and native juries were provided for in the Laws of 1842. The Third Act of Kamehameha III in 1847 titled "An Act to Organize the Judiciary Department of the Hawaiian Islands" created four levels of courts - the Supreme Court, the Superior Court of Law and Equity, four circuit court jurisdictions, and district courts.

Archival history

A few documents have been translated.

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Correspondence is arranged chronologically. Correspondence files date from 1849 to 1905 and contain incoming letters from district magistrates and other circuit judges forwarding court activity and expenditures reports. Miscellaneous records are arranged chronologically. Miscellaneous records date from 1863 to 1911 contain documents relating to bonds, bankruptcy, and habeas corpus filed with the court clerk. Jury lists are arranged chronologically. Jury lists date from 1859 to 1900 and contain names of native Hawaiian and foreign men eligible for jury duty. Mittimus is arranged chronologically. Mittimus date from 1881 to 1893 and contain the judge's order to the sheriff or marshal to take convicted individuals to the custody of the prison.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Arranged in the following order: incoming correspondence, miscellaneous records, jury lists, and mittimus.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Conditions governing reproduction

Language of material

  • English
  • Hawaiian

Script of material

Language and script notes

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Uploaded finding aid

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Subject access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Rules and/or conventions used

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Created on 1994-06, P. Lai
Revised on 1996-10, 1996-11, 1997-04, 2001-06, and 2002-06
Additions on 2002-11, A. Hoof

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

Sources

Archivist's note

1994-06, P. Lai: Created
1996-10, 1996-11, 1997-04, 2001-06, and 2002-06: Revised
2002-11, A. Hoof: Additions
2020-09-09, Joel Horowitz: Entered into AtoM

Accession area

Related subjects

Related people and organizations

Related genres

Related places