Thank you for registering for the online course, Law & Order: Using Court Records in Your Family History Research!
Court records are an important, yet often overlooked, resource for family historians. No matter what side of the law your ancestor may have been on, court records can provide family relationships, places of residences, origins, occupations, and offer unique stories about your ancestors, sometimes in their own words! In this four-week online course, our experts will discuss how to locate, interpret, and navigate civil and criminal cases, probate, naturalization (pre-1906), divorce, and more. We’ll also look at how to find your ancestor in records whether they were a plaintiff, defendant, witness, or juror. Don’t miss this opportunity to uncover the stories of your ancestors!
This course includes four 90-minute classes and exclusive access to handouts and recordings of each presentation. These recordings and all course materials will be available for the foreseeable future.
COURSE TOPICS
Class 1: Understanding Court Systems and Records
Presented by Melanie McComb
This first class will give a brief history of the often-complex legal system in the United States starting with the colonial times. We will discuss how to understand the laws specific to a region and time period, examine the types or format of records you’re likely to find (dockets, minutes, orders, case files, etc.), and explore the ways your ancestors may appear in the records.
Class 2: Civil and Criminal Cases
Presented by David Allen Lambert
Whether its disputes among neighbors, hogs going haywire, accusations of witchcraft, lawsuits, or more severe crimes, there’s a good chance you have ancestors who appear in civil and/or criminal cases. In this class, David Allen Lambert will discuss some of the suits found in civil and criminal cases across time, how to locate and access these resources, and how to tease out the stories within.
Class 3: Probate Records
Presented by Melanie McComb
Probate cases offer some of the most important information for family historians. The settling of an estate, assignment of guardianship, and cases of spendthrift can establish family relationships, provide maiden names, confirm origins and occupations, expand your ancestors’ FAN network, and may just be the key to breaking down a genealogical brick wall. In this class, Melanie McComb will provide an overview of these essential court records.
Class 4: Other Court Records: Naturalization, Divorce, and More
Presented by Rhonda R. McClure
In this final class, we’ll look at several types of court records including pre-1906 naturalization records, cases of divorce, and other records such as juror lists. In each example, Rhonda R. McClure will discuss how to identify the court that heard your ancestor’s case, what information is contained in the record, and how to access these resources.
COURSE HANDOUTS
RECORDED PRESENTATIONS
Class 1: Understanding Court Systems and Records
Live Broadcast: September 6, 2023
Presented by: Melanie McComb
Class 2: Civil and Criminal Cases
Live Broadcast: September 13, 2023
Presented by: David Allen Lambert
Live Broadcast: September 20, 2023
Presented by: Melanie McComb
Class 4: Other Court Records: Naturalization, Divorce, and More
Live Broadcast: September 27, 2023
Presented by: Rhonda R. McClure
OTHER RESOURCES
Webinar: Wanted! Dead or Alive: Researching Criminal Ancestors
Webinar: Using New England Probate Records
INSTRUCTOR BIOS
David Allen Lambert, Chief Genealogist has been on the staff of American Ancestors since 1993 and is the organization’s Chief Genealogist. David is an internationally recognized speaker on the topics of genealogy and history. Lambert has published many articles in the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, the New Hampshire Genealogical Record, Rhode Island Roots, Mayflower Descendant, and American Ancestors magazine. He has authored and or co-authored in the published genealogies presented to David McCullough, Ken Burns, Angela Lansbury, Michael and Kitty Dukakis, Nathaniel Philbrick, Doris Kearns Goodwin, and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino. He has also published eleven books including A Guide to Massachusetts Cemeteries (American Ancestors, 2018), and Vital Records of Stoughton, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1850 (Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants, 2008). David received his B.A. in History from Northeastern University. David is an elected Fellow of the Massachusetts Historical Society in Boston, Mass., and a life member of the New Hampshire Society of the Cincinnati and the General Society of the War of 1812. David also serves as the tribal genealogist for the Massachusett Tribe at Punkapoag in Massachusetts.
Rhonda R. McClure, Senior Genealogist is a nationally recognized professional genealogist and lecturer. Before joining American Ancestors in 2006, she ran her own genealogical business for 18 years. She was a contributing editor for Heritage Quest Magazine, Biography magazine, and was a contributor to The History Channel Magazine and American History Magazine. In addition to numerous articles, she is the author of twelve books including the award-winning The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Online Genealogy, Finding your Famous and Infamous Ancestors and Digitizing Your Family History. She is the editor of the newly released 6th edition of the Genealogist’s Handbook for New England Research. Her areas of expertise include, immigration and naturalization, late 19th- and early 20th-century urban research, missionaries, State Department Federal records, New England, Mid-West, Southern, German, Italian, Scottish, Irish, French Canadian, and New Brunswick research as well as Internet research, genealogical software and online trees.
Melanie McComb, Senior Genealogist assists library visitors, both on-site and online, with their family history research. She is an international lecturer who teaches on a variety of topics. Melanie holds a B.S. degree from the State University of New York at Oswego. She previously served as the social media coordinator for the NextGen Genealogy Network, a non-profit that creates a community for younger genealogists, where she managed the Facebook and Twitter accounts. She continues her interest in helping younger genealogists get involved at American Ancestors by assisting with educational programs from local schools, scout groups, and universities.