Title and statement of responsibility area
Title proper
General material designation
Parallel title
Other title information
Title statements of responsibility
Title notes
Level of description
Repository
Reference code
Edition area
Edition statement
Edition statement of responsibility
Class of material specific details area
Statement of scale (cartographic)
Statement of projection (cartographic)
Statement of coordinates (cartographic)
Statement of scale (architectural)
Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)
Dates of creation area
Date(s)
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1767-1980 (Creation)
Physical description area
Physical description
1.67m of textual records (42 volumes)
Publisher's series area
Title proper of publisher's series
Parallel titles of publisher's series
Other title information of publisher's series
Statement of responsibility relating to publisher's series
Numbering within publisher's series
Note on publisher's series
Archival description area
Name of creator
Custodial history
The first three volumes of this sub-series, covering the years 1767 to 1790, had been added to the Records Commission collection after the publication of the 1886 inventory and remained in that collection until their removal in 1974 when the Supreme Court records were arranged in preparation for their inclusion in the 1976 Inventory of Manuscripts. Volumes covering the years 1790 to 1884 were transferred to the archives in 1930 from the prothonatary’s office after their identification as being of interest to the new archives in a report prepared by Norman Fee of the Dominion Archives. The remaining volumes were accessioned in 1998 when a utility room at the Law Courts was emptied.
Scope and content
Sub-series forms part of the Official records books series and consists of books used to record the issuance of documents, such as a summons, capias or occasionally other originating documents such as notices of expropriation, that would start a civil case or cause before the court. Some books, particularly the early ones are titled “original entry books” and record the residence and occupations of parties to a case. Generally the books record the parties, plaintiff’s attorney, the date the originating document was issued and the amount of damages or judgment sought. The books usually record the return of the originating writ indicating the defendant has been served. Indexes are available from 1821 until case numbering commenced in 1861. Starting in 1884 the books record, although perhaps not with great consistency, the issuance and filing of all documents related to a case. Papers filed in connection with application such as Bar Admissions, were also recorded in these books. The sub-series ended in 1980 when another index and case tracking system started.
After case numbering started in 1861 these cause books were used to record the issuance of case numbers, as well as the documents filed in relation to a case, and can serve date based way of locating particualar actions or cases.
Notes area
Physical condition
Immediate source of acquisition
Arrangement
Part of this sub-series was previously designated as part of the J series of RG 39, Halifax Supreme Court records. Part of this sub-series was previously designated as part of the J series of RG 39, Halifax Supreme Court records.
Language of material
Script of material
Location of originals
Availability of other formats
Restrictions on access
Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication
Finding aids
A volume listing with retrieval information is available.
Associated materials
The Case file registers sub-series of the Official record books series serve as indexes to the books for the period 1861 to 1927.