VALOUDOU-L Archives

Archiver > VALOUDOU > 2001-06 > 0991742922


From: "Marty Hiatt" <>
Subject: [VALOUDOU-L] Chancery Records URL
Date: Tue, 5 Jun 2001 08:08:42 -0400
References: <51.c755770.284d1dd3@aol.com>


In the fewest words possible--Virginia had (for our purposes) two types of
courts--law and chancery. If a law had been broken, the attorneys filed a
law suit. When no law was broken, but an unjust situation occurred, the
claim was filed in equity, also known as chancery.

If any of you can come to Virginia in August, the VGS is sponsoring a 4 day
seminar that will go in depth about Virginia sources. This is called VIGR -
Virginia Institute of Genealogical Research, info is available from


Ms. Marty Hiatt, CGRS
"Document what you find, listen to what you are told, and especially, love
and respect your work." John Morris

CGRS is a service mark of the Board for Certification of Genealogists,
used under license after periodic evaluations by the Board.

----- Original Message -----
From: <>
To: <>
Sent: Monday, June 04, 2001 1:22 PM
Subject: Re: [VALOUDOU-L] Chancery Records URL


> writes:
> > My family was involved in chancery cases, can anyone tell me what a
chancery
> > case is? We ordered the paper work, and I am very excited about them.
> What
> I think the difference between chancery court & courts of law is that
> chancery courts could apply _equitable relief_ whereas law courts had
limits
> on what they could compel someone to do. Why this distinction and
> power split arose is something I don't understand, but it began in
> England.
>
> Divorces, land disputes, & other property suits are often in chancery
courts.
>
> Most US jurisdictions have merged these court systems together, or in
> some cases, newer states never adopted this old-fashioned system.
>

This thread: