Coroners' Inquests are inquests conducted by six men, on behalf of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, into the cause of a person's death. Inquests include: municipality; name of coroner; signatures of the six jurors; name of decedent; date of inquest; reason for death; name of coroner's physician, and names of witnesses to the inquest. Handwritten on printed form.
A writ of habeas corpus is a procedure for obtaining a judicial determination of the legality of an individual's custody. This collection includes petitions for writs of habeas corpus and the writs themselves, showing the names of petitioners, persons to be brought to court, nature of dispute or alleged crime, dates of writs and accompanying documents, names of judges, and names of persons that the writs are filed against. Petitioners include indentured servants, Freedom Seekers, free persons of color, convicted prisoners, those awaiting trial, relatives of prisoners, parties in child custody disputes, and relatives of army recruits and draftees. Handwritten, handwritten on printed forms, and a very few typewritten.
