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Presenter: C. Ann Staley

The United States has a dual court system - Federal and State. At the State level, you need to ensure that you look at all three levels of record keeping: City/Municipal Courts, County Courts and State Courts. This lecture will concentrate on the County level courthouses and the records they might record. Courthouses are an underutilized resource; they are not as hard to maneuver in as most people think. Under their roof you will find fabulous records! We will explore this rich resource to discover the fabulous records contained within their walls and examine how the sources/records can aid in our search. We will look at the levels of courts and some of the records you might locate including Brand Books; Bond Books; Estray and Dog Books; Jury registers; Probate & Estate Records; Land/Deeds; Soldier & Sailor Discharges; Voter Registration Books; and more.