Orleans Parish Superior Criminal Court records
Collection
Identifier: CA-OP-Superior Criminal Court
Scope and Contents
The records are arranged in series as follows, all of which are records of the regular business of the court:
- case records
- minute books
- general dockets
Dates
- Creation: 1874-1880
Conditions Governing Access
These materials have not been microfilmed. Available to registered researchers by appointment; please request by docket or volume number.
Biographical / Historical
The Superior Criminal Court for the parish of Orleans was established by Act 124 of the Louisiana Legislature, Session of 1874. It had jurisdiction in the following matters:
- offenses punishable by death, life imprisonment, or imprisonment at hard labor for more than five years
- violations of the state election and registration laws
- offenses committed by officers of the state and its municipalities
- bribery
- unlawful assemblage
- carrying concealed weapons
- conspiracy to commit crime
- conspiracy to oppose execution of laws
- obstruction of the performance of public officers
- malfeasance, extortion, or oppression in office
- attempting to bribe grand or petit jurors
- grand larceny
The Court's regular sessions were set for October through May, but was to hold special sessions at other times of the year as necessary. Its first judge was appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate and held office until a permanent judge was elected. The Court also had a clerk, a deputy clerk, and two assistant clerks. The existing Criminal Sheriff of Orleans Parish served both the First District Court and the Superior Criminal Court.
The Superior Criminal Court began deliberations on April 12, 1874, with Judge A. A. Atocha presiding. John Fitzpatrick, later Mayor of New Orleans, served as its first Clerk. The Superior Criminal Court and the First District Court were replaced by the Louisiana Constitution of 1879 with the Criminal District Court for Orleans Parish.
Extent
9 Volumes
10 Cubic Feet
Language of Materials
English
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Deposited by Criminal District Court, 1989
Separated Materials
Separated court records are inventoried with the Stray Court Records Collection.
Topical
- Title
- Orleans Parish Superior Criminal Court records
- Author
- bsilva
- Date
- 5/16/2023
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Edition statement
- Based on finding aid previously created by City Archives staff; reformatted for ArchivesSpace by bsilva in 2023
Repository Details
Part of the City Archives Repository
Contact:
City Archives & Special Collections
219 Loyola Avenue
New Orleans LA 70112
504-596-2610
archivist@nolalibrary.org
City Archives & Special Collections
219 Loyola Avenue
New Orleans LA 70112
504-596-2610
archivist@nolalibrary.org