Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Petersburg (Va.) Police Court Docket,, 1914-1928. Local government records collection, Petersburg (City) Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.

Acquisition Information

These items came to the Library of Virginia under the accession number 50662.

Historical Information

Petersburg was formed from parts of Dinwiddie, Prince George, and Chesterfield counties. A garrison and fur trading post called Fort Henry was established in 1645 on the site of the Indian village of Appamattuck. The present name, suggested in 1733 by William Byrd II, honors Peter Jones, Byrd's companion on expeditions into the Virginia backcountry. Petersburg was established in 1748 and incorporated as a town in 1784. In the latter year the towns of Blandford, Pocahontas, and Ravenscroft were added to Petersburg. It was incorporated as a city in 1850. Petersburg was enlarged by annexation from both Prince George and Dinwiddie counties in 1972.

Police Court was a city court that had jurisdiction in all petit criminal cases that involved only confinement in jail and smaller fines, including minor traffic violations, public-health nuisances, petty theft or assault, violations of city ordinances, and warrants for indebtedness. Persons arrested for greater criminal violations could begin their legal process at the Police Court and be referred on to higher courts for trial or other disposition of their case. The police justice was an elected city official.

Scope and Content

Petersburg (Va.) Police Court Docket, 1914-1928, records the activities of the police court and gives information about the name of the person charged, justice of the peace who dealt with the offense, and any fees or fines associated with the charge. Not recorded is the nature of the crime committed. There is no index.

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically.

Index Terms

Corporate Names:

• Petersburg (Va.) Circuit Court.

Subjects:

• Criminal procedure -- Virginia -- Petersburg.
• Judgments -- Virginia -- Petersburg.
• Police -- Virginia -- Petersburg.

Geographical Names:

• Petersburg (Va.) -- History -- 20th century.

Genre and Form Terms:

• Criminal court records -- Virginia -- Petersburg.
• Local government records -- Virginia -- Petersburg.
• Registers (lists) -- Virginia -- Petersburg.

Added Entry - Corporate Name:

• Petersburg (Va.) Police Court.