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.
American 19th Century Brass Fireman's Trumpet. Courtesy The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Provenance
Photographs from the estate of Henry Kauffman. No reproduction of this photograph is permitted without written permission from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Application form furnished upon request.
