Manuscript records of the proceedings in the civil suits and criminal cases filed before the First District Court. Access to these records is through the general docket books and the indexes thereto; indexes are extant for records from January, 1865 to June, 1873 only.

Individual civil suit records range in size from one or two sheets in the simpler matters to hundreds of documents in the more complicated litigations. Records may include some or all of the following items: petitions, answers, oaths, bonds, transcripts of testimony, and orders & judgments of the court [in some cases the orders and judgments appear as separate documents, more common though was the practice of recording such judicial actions on the reverse of the original petition(s)]. Various articles of evidence may also be filed in individual suit records, including such items as newspaper clippings, plans, copies of original documents filed elsewhere, letters, and accounts/extracts from accounts from various financial records.

Individual criminal case records will contain some, but probably not all, of these documents (some cases, however, can contain little other than the indictment and final verdict):

• indictment or affidavit--the criminal equivalent of the initial petition in a civil suit. It will set forth the specifics of the criminal conduct that caused the matter to be brought before the Court. On the reverse there will usually be recorded information on arraignment, final verdict or other disposition, and sentencing.
• Police reports
• Copy of Cornoner's inquest
• Testimony and/or statements of witnesses, the accused, and police officers
• Bonds (bail and/or appeal)
• Documents from lower courts
• Motions, exceptions, and other pleadings filed by the attorney representing the accouses and/or by the District Attorney
• Orders, jury charges, and other rulings by the judge
• Jury lists
• Witness lists
• Arrest warrants
• Subpoenas
• Appeals and related documents