Forms part of the repository's County Clerk's Office subgroup. New Jersey state Oyer and Terminer courts carried over from England and continued in colonial New Jersey, each county court having jurisdiction over all criminal matters; presided over by a state supreme court justice and one or two local judges. Transferred to the repository by Jane G. Clayton, Monmouth County Clerk. Minutes for 1745-1809 held by New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, N.J.; minutes for 1749-1762 held by Princeton University; for the period 1906-1925 and 1943 to 1948 Oyer and Terminer scratch minutes contained in the repository's New Jersey, Court of Sessions (Monmouth County) minutes. Minutes for 1947-1948 in repository's Superior Court and County Court minute books. Finding aid in the repository.

Oyer & Terminer Court Criminal Indictment Books

Forms part of the repository's County Clerk's Office subgroup. Books entitled Criminal Indictments (Book #1, 1912-1923 and Book #2, 1924-1930), each arranged alphabetically by first letter of the defendant's surname, and chronologically thereunder, with each page arranged in columns with the following headings: year, term, name, indictment of waiver, crime, and disposition (usually noted in Book 1 but left blank in book 2). Finding aid in the repository. The books index the Oyer & Terminer indictments (loose papers) in Series 5600.2 and may be used for an analysis of crime rates and types during the period covered.

SCOPE AND CONTENT

The books are titled Criminal Indictments, Book #1, 1912-1923, and Book #2, 1924-1930. Each book is arranged alphabetically by the first letter of the defendants' surnames and chronologically thereunder. Thus, all defendants whose last names begin with S are listed in the order they came before the court. The book pages are arranged in columns with the following headings:

Year

Term (January, May or October)

Name (in the name column, there is also a nonsequential number

Indictment or Waiver (a defendant could plead "non vult" and waive right of indictment. This usually led directly to sentencing.

Crime

Disposition (usually, plea, verdict, and sentence. Sometimes the case was dropped and "nolle prosequi" is noted as the disposition). Disposition is usually noted in Book 1 but has been left blank in Book 2.

The books index the Oyer & Terminer indictments (loose papers) in Series 5600.2. They also may be used for an analysis of crime rates and types during the period they cover.

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