Series 4731

DAVIS COUNTY (UTAH). PROBATE COURT [1789]

DIVORCE REGISTER OF ACTIONS, 1877; 1880.
0.2 cu. ft. (2 vols.), and 1 microfilm reel

A separate agency history is available.

DESCRIPTION: This series consists of a register of actions, labelled "Docket A" for divorce cases handled by the Davis County Probate Court. The register of actions documents the case number, the names of the parties, the names of attorneys representing the parties, and the dates on which individual documents in the case were filed with the court.

In 1852 the territorial legislature gave county probate courts jurisdiction over divorce cases. In 1887, the federal Edmunds-Tucker act revoked Probate Court jurisdiction in divorce cases.

ARRANGEMENT: This series is arranged numerically by case number. Case numbers were generally assigned in chronological order based on the date on which the complaint was filed.

RESEARCH NOTE: The book contains no entries between December of 1877 and September of 1880. While there are a few cases in series 4700, DIVORCE CASE FILES, that were filed during this time frame, apparently these cases were not docketed. More information is available in that series inventory.

RELATED RECORDS: Series 4700, DIVORCE CASES, are the case files referenced in these records. Series 23694, DIVORCE MINUTE BOOK, contains the minute entries which document the day to day court actions on the same cases. Additional information on divorces can be found mixed with other civil, criminal, and probate activities of the court in the MINUTE BOOKS, series 25012 (1854-1872) and with the RECORD BOOKS, series 25004 (1853-1896).

FINDING AIDS: An electronic index to the names of the parties, the case number, and the filing date of the complaint has been created. A contemporary index to the 1877 entries also exists as a separate volume with entries arranged alphabetically by initial letter of plaintiff surname.

PROCESSING NOTE: This series was processed by Arlene Schmuland in May 2001. An index was located in 2003 and added to the series, although it was not microfilmed given the presence of an electronic index.

PREFERRED CITATION: Cite the Utah State Archives and Records Service, the creating agency name, the series title, and the series number.

GAPS: This series contains no entries for case files filed with the court prior to February 1877 even though case files predating that have survived.