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Series VPRS 5421
County Court Registers
About this Series Related Series Accessing the records in this Series
Date Range: Series 1859 - 1869
  Series in Custody 1859 - 1869
  Contents 1859 - 1869
Public Access: Open
Location: Ballarat
Format of Records: Physical
 
Agency which created this SeriesAgency which created this Series
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Date Range Agency Title Agency Number
1859 - 1869 Beaufort Courts VA 996
Agency currently responsible for this SeriesAgency currently responsible for this Series
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Date Range Agency Title Agency Number
2002 - cont County Court VA 686
Description of this SeriesDescription of this Series
  • How to use the Records
    No name indexes are known to have been created for this series. Researchers will need to know the approximate date on which the summons initiating the action was lodged with the court.

  • Function / Content
    Successive County Court Rules have required the registrar of the court to keep a register of all verdicts, orders and judgements of the court. The register is the authoritative record of the court and was generally used by County Courts until 1869 or early 1870.

    This series was used to register common law actions. Examples include damages for negligence, personal injuries, property damage and loss of profit.

    An entry in the register was initiated upon lodgement of a summons ([com]plaint) with the court by the plaintiff. Recordings were then made as the case progressed towards trial. Register details include:

    - Number and date of the [Com]plaint
    - Names and addresses of the plaintiff and defendant
    - The nature of the action and amount of the claim
    - Details pertaining to the judgement, and if necessary
    - Details of the exaction of the judgement and the returns of warrants.

    Entries will also be annotated to indicate if the action did not proceed to trial. This includes actions that were struck out, settled out of court, withdrawn or were simply discontinued. Case files are not in Public Record Office custody.

    During late 1869, the format of County Court registers changed. The register was effectively divided into three parts, each a different volume which recorded a particular type of case. These volumes were

    - County Court Registers, Part I, Common Law
    - County Court Registers, Part II, Equity, and
    - County Court Register, Part III, Probate and Administration.

  • Recordkeeping System
    Cases were registered in numerical order as the summons was lodged with the court. The next available number in the register was allocated to the next case. Registration number order also tends to be in chronological order by date of lodgement of the summons. Numbers start afresh from 1 at the start of each year.
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Indexes and RegistersIndexes and Registers
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Controlled SeriesControlled Series
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Previous SeriesPrevious Series
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Transfer Date Series Title Series Number
Subsequent SeriesSubsequent Series
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Transfer Date Series Title Series Number
0 - 1869 County Court Register, Part I, Common Law VPRS 5419
0 - 1870 County Court Register, Part III, Probate and Administration VPRS 5420
List/s of records in this seriesList/s of records in this series
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Consignment Number Contents Date Range Public Access No. of Units
P0000 1859 - 1869 Open 2
Indexes and RegistersIndexes and Registers
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