William Wirt's Biography of Patrick Henry Wirt, William [1772-1834]. Sketches of the Life and Character of Patrick Henry. New York: Published by James Webster, 1818. xv, [1], 427, xii pp. Stipple-engraved portrait frontispiece with tissue guard. Octavo (8-1/2" x 5-1/2"). Contemporary sheep treated to look like tree calf, lettering piece..... More

Life Behind Bars in Joliet, Illinois Elgar, Thomas [b.1842]. Convict Life, Or Penitentiary Citizenship, In the Illinois State Penitentiary, Joliet, Ill. Written in Prison by Thomas Elgar, 6197, 1885. Rochester, NY: Published and Sold by Thomas Elgar, 1886. 48 pp. Octavo (9" x 5-3/4"). Stab-stitched pamphlet in self wrappers. Moderate..... More

Includes "A Remarkable Case of Bastardy" with a Black Defendant Whistelo, Alexander, Defendant. The Commissioners of the Alms-House, vs. Alexander Whistelo, A Black Man; Being a Remarkable Case of Bastardy, Tried and Adjudged by the Mayor, Recorder, And Several Aldermen, Of the City of New-York, Under the Act Passed 6th..... More

One of the Standard American Texts of the Nineteenth Century Story, Joseph [1779-1845]. Commentaries on the Law of Bills of Exchange, Foreign and Inland, as Administered in England and America; with Occasional Illustrations from the Commercial Law of the Nations of Continental Europe. Boston: Charles C. Little & James Brown/London..... More

Written During the Final Years of American Westward Expansion Spaulding, George W. A Treatise on the Public Land System of the United States. With References to the Land Laws, Rulings of the Departments at Washington, and Decisions of Courts, And an Appendix of Forms in United States Land and Mining..... More

Inscribed by the Author Pomeroy, John Norton [1828-1885]. An Introduction to Municipal Law: Designed for General Readers and for Students in Colleges and Higher Schools. New York: D. Appleton and Co., 1864. xxxviii, 544 pp. Octavo (8-1/2" x 5-1/2"). Original textured cloth, blind frames to boards, gilt title to spine..... More

A Classic Treatise on Crimes and Misdemeanors Russell, William Oldnall [1785-1833]. Greaves, Charles Sprengel [1801-1881]. Sharswood, George [1810-1883], Editor. A Treatise on Crimes and Misdemeanors. With the Notes and References Contained in the Former American Editions by Daniel Davis and Theron Metcalf, Esqrs. And With Additional Notes and References, by..... More

First Edition of Wheaton's History of the Law of Nations Wheaton, Henry [1785-1848]. Histoire des Progres du Droit des Gens en Europe Depuis la Paix de Westphalie Jusqu'a Congres de Vienne. Avec un Precis Historique du Droit des Gens Europeen Avant la Paix de Westphalie. Leipzig: F.A. Brockhaus, 1841. x...... More

A Collection of Early Pamphlets Concerning the Field Codes in a Contemporary Binding [Field Codes]. [Field, David Dudley (1805-1894)]. [Collection of Pamphlets Concerning the Field Codes]. New York, 1840-1856. 11 pamphlets (one of them in duplicate). Octavo (8-1/2" x 5-1/2"). Contemporary three-quarter calf over marbled boards, raised bands and red..... More

Account Book of a Nineteenth-Century JP and Selectman from A Small Town in Maine [Manuscript]. [Hopkins, Robert]. [Account Book]. Surry, ME, 1837-1865. [160] pp. Quarto (7-1/2" x 6-1/4"). Quarter sheep over marbled boards, blind fillets to spine. Light rubbing to boards, moderate rubbing to extremities, hinges cracked, free endpapers lacking..... More

Nicholas St. John Green's Edition of Story on Agency Story, Joseph [1779-1845]. Green, Nicholas St. John [1830-1876], Editor. Commentaries on the Law of Agency as a Branch of Commercial and Maritime Law. With Occasional Illustrations from the Civil and Foreign Law. Boston: Little, Brown, and Company, 1874. xl, 706 pp..... More

A Bizarre Case Involving Murder and Fraudulent Claims of Marriage and Parenthood [Trial]. Edwards, Charles [1797-1868]. Cunningham, Emma, Claiment. The Burdell Case, Closing Argument of Mr. Charles Edwards, Advocate for Infant Next of Kin of Harvey Burdell: And in Opposition to the Claim of Emma Augusta Cunningham, For Letters of..... More

Considers Presidential War Powers, Codification and the Status of Married Women Pomeroy, John Norton [1828-1885]. An Introduction to Municipal Law: Designed for General Readers and for Students in Colleges and Higher Schools. New York: D. Appleton and Co., 1864. xxxviii, 544 pp. Octavo (8-1/2" x 5-1/2"). Original textured cloth, blind..... More

The First Federal Bankruptcy Act [Bankruptcy]. [United States]. A Bill to Establish an Uniform System of Bankruptcy, Throughout the United States. Philadelphia: Printed by T.L. Plowman, 1801. 28 pp. Octavo (6-3/4" x 4-1/4"). Disbound stab-stitched pamphlet. Moderate toning, light soiling to exterior, a few minor spots to title page. Rare..... More

A Scarce Early Treatise on Insolvency in California Cowdery, Jabez F. [1834-1914]. The Law of Insolvency. Being the Voluntary Insolvency Law of California and Nevada, And the Involuntary Insolvency Law of California; With Full Annotations and References to the Decisions of the Supreme Court of California, And of Other Decisions..... More

Holmes Warmly Congratulates His Successor on the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court [Manuscript]. Holmes, Oliver Wendell, Jr. [1841-1935]. [Knowlton, Marcus Perrin (1839-1918)]. [Autograph Letter, Signed, To Marcus P. Knowlton, Washington, DC, January 22, 1903]. Content to first 2 pp. of 7-3/4" x 5" U.S. Supreme Court bifolium letterhead. Moderate toning, single..... More

Antebellum Edition of Story on the Conflict of Laws Story, Joseph [1779-1845]. Bennett, Edmund Hastings [1824-1898], Editor. Commentaries on the Conflict of Laws, Foreign and Domestic, in Regard to Contracts, Rights, and Remedies, and Especially in Regard to Marriages, Divorces, Wills, Successions, and Judgments. Revised, Corrected and Greatly Enlarged. Boston..... More

Three Famous Murders of the Early 1890s [Murder]. Graves, Thomas Thatcher [1841-1893]. Sawtell, Isaac [d.1891]. Almy, Frank C. [1857-1892]. Three of a Kind: Dr. Graves, Isaac Sawtell, Frank C. Almy. Laconia, NH: John J. Lane, c.1893. 48 pp. Woodcut text illustrations. Octavo (9" x 5-3/4"). Stab-stitched pamphlet in pictorial wrappers..... More

Antebellum Edition of Story on the Conflict of Laws Story, Joseph [1779-1845]. Bennett, Edmund Hastings [1824-1898], Editor. Commentaries on the Conflict of Laws, Foreign and Domestic, in Regard to Contracts, Rights, and Remedies, and Especially in Regard to Marriages, Divorces, Wills, Successions, and Judgments. Revised, Corrected and Greatly Enlarged. Boston..... More

A Leading Authority on Commercial and Maritime Law Parsons, Theophilus [1797-1882]. A Treatise on the Law of Shipping and the Law and Practice of Admiralty. Boston: Little, Brown, and Company, 1869. Two volumes. lxv, [1], 647; xii, 931 pp. Octavo (9-1/4" x 5-3/4"). Later cloth, raised bands, gilt titles, publication..... More

"Reliable and Responsible Practising Lawyers" Merchants' Protective Union. [Solicitation for Membership]. New York, 1868. 10-3/4" x 8-1/4" bifolium, text to rectos and versos of both leaves. Light toning, vertical and horizontal fold lines, a few minor stains, a few short tears along folds, "August 15th" to date-line at head of..... More

"The Most Sweeping Indictment of Common Law Idealism Ever Written in America" Sampson, William [1764-1836]. Thompson, Pishey [1784-1862], Editor. Sampson's Discourse And Correspondence With Various Learned Jurists, Upon The History Of The Law, With the Addition of Several Essays, Tracts, And Documents Relating to the Subject. Washington City [DC]: Printed..... More

First Edition of The Common Law Holmes, Oliver Wendell, Jr. [1841-1935]. The Common Law. Boston: Little, Brown, And Company, 1881. [i]-xvi, 422 pp. Octavo (8-1/4" x 5-1/4"). Recent calf, gilt fillets and lettering piece to spine, marbled endpapers, retained spine affixed to rear endleaf. Binding slightly cocked, negligible rubbing and..... More

"Our Master is Our Self-Made Law" [Manuscript]. Lieber, Francis [1798-1872]. [Autograph Note, Signed, N.p., N.d (c.1860?)]. Single leaf folded to form 6-1/2" x 5" bifolium, light toning, horizontal fold lines, content in neat hand to recto of first leaf. [With] "Obituary: Dr. Francis Lieber," [New York Tribune, October 3, 1872]..... More

Only Known Copy Hoover, Matthias [1819-1837]. The Authentic Confession of the Notorious Robber & Murderer, Matthias Hoover, Partner of Lovett, Washburn, & Davis, Who was Hung at Cincinnati, On the 30th June, 1837, For the Murder of William Beaver. Cincinnati: Published for the Trade, 1837. 12 pp. Woodcut title page..... More

"A Classic of American Criminal History": McDade 276 [Trial]. Durrant, William Henry Theodore [1871-1898], Defendant. Peixotto, Edgar D., Reporter. Report of the Trial of William Henry Theodore Durrant: Indicted for the Murder of Blanche Lamont, Before the Superior Court of the City and County of San Francisco. Including a Full..... More

"A Complete and Satisfactory Work" Gresley, Richard Newcombe [1804-1837]. A Treatise on the Law of Evidence in the Courts of Equity. Philadelphia: P.H. Nicklin & T. Johnson, 1837. [iii], [ix]-xl, 564 (i.e. 464) pp. Octavo (9" x 5-1/2"). Contemporary sheep, blind fillets to boards, lettering piece and blind fillets to..... More

Angell's Notable Treatise on Limitation of Actions Angell, J[oseph] K. [1794-1857]. May, John Wilder [1819-1883]. A Treatise On The Limitations Of Actions At Law And Suits In Equity And Admiralty; With an Appendix Containing the American and English Statutes of Limitations. Fourth Edition: Revised and Greatly Enlarged. Boston: Little, Brown..... More

Freeman's Probate Directory Freeman, Samuel. The Probate Directory; Or, An Assistant to Probate Courts, Executors, Administrators, and Guardians, Being the Laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Respecting the Estates of Testators, Intestates, And Wards. To Which are Added, A Variety of Forms, For the Use of Probate Courts, And Such..... More

The Report That Established the Pennsylvania System of Penology [Pennsylvania]. [Commission to Revise the Penal Code]. Report on Punishments and Prison Discipline: By the Commissioners Appointed to Revise the Penal Code. Commissioners: Hon. Judge Shaler, Hon. Judge King, T.I. Wharton, Esq. Philadelphia: Printed by John Clarke, 1828. [i], 77 pp..... More

Privately Issued Pre-Publication Typescript Copy of Stephen Field's Personal Reminiscences Field, Stephen J. [1816-1899]. Personal Reminiscences of Early Days in California, With Other Sketches. To Which is Added the Story of His Attempted Assassination by a Former Associate on the Supreme Bench of the State. By Hon. George C. Gorman..... More

"A Bold and Successful Conspiracy to Defraud" McClure, Joseph M. The Evans Embezzlement; Or, The History of a Bold and Successful Conspiracy to Defraud the State of Pennsylvania. $198,911 58 Retained as Compensation for Thirty-One Days of Alleged Service. $291,046 91 Lost to the State Through the Gross Negligence of..... More

Compilation of Pennsylvania Acts [Pennsylvania]. General Assembly. Acts of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania: Passed at a Session, Which Was Begun and Held at the Borough of Lancaster, On Tuesday the Fourth Day of December, In the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Four..... More

1826 Study of the Auburn State Prison by Its Warden Powers, G[ershom] [1789-1831]. A Brief Account of the Construction, Management, & Discipline &c. &c. Of the New-York State Prison at Auburn: Together with a Compendium of Criminal Law. Also a Report of the Trial of an Officer of Said Prison..... More

A Standard Nineteenth-Century English Evidence Treatise With Extensive American Additions Peake, Thomas [1771-1838]. Bayard, Samuel [1767-1840], American Additions. A Compendium of the Law of Evidence. From the Third London Edition, With Additions: And an Appendix Containing a Digest of American Cases on the Law of Evidence by Samuel Bayard. Philadelphia..... More

Du Ponceau Advises a Fellow Philadelphia Attorney [Manuscript]. Du Ponceau, Peter S. [1760-1844]. [Copy of Letter to Robert E. Griffith, Philadelphia, December 10, 1822]. Single leaf folded to form 10" x 8" bifolium, "Copy" to head of recto of first leaf, franked and docketed (and marked "Copy") on verso of..... More

A Pastor Defends His Congregant Clark, Benjamin Franklin [1808-1879]. Alarming Developments Connected With Our Courts. The Wrong Member of Middlesex Bar, Convicted of Perjury, And the Means By Which it was Accomplished Exposed! By B.F. Clark, Pastor of the Congregational Church and Society in North Chelmsford, Ms. Boston: Printed by..... More

The First California Law Compilation [California]. Garfielde, S., Compiler. Snyder, F.A., Compiler. Compiled Laws of the State of California: Containing all the Acts of the Legislature of a Public and General Nature, Now in Force, Passed at the Sessions of 1850-51-52-53. To Which are Prefixed the Declaration of Independence, The..... More

"Criminal Intercourse" in Otego, NY [Trial]. Smith, Charles S., Defendant. The Trial and Conviction of Charles S. Smith, Of Otego, N.Y., Elder of the Presbyterian Church, Superintendent of the Sunday School, And Trustee of the School District, For Bastardy, With Sketch of Lucy Edith Wilson, His Victim, A Girl Eleven..... More

The First American Treatise on Contracts Chipman, Daniel [1765-1850]. An Essay on the Law of Contracts, For the Payment of Specifick Articles. Middlebury, VT: Published by the Author, 1822. xvi, [17]-224 pp. Octavo (8" x 5"). Contemporary calf, blind rules to boards, blind fillets and lettering piece to spine. Minor..... More

"Justice Made Cheap, Speedy, And Brought to Every Man's Door" [C] [Higgins, Jesse (b. 1763), Attributed]. Sampson Against the Philistines, Or the Reformation of Lawsuits; And Justice Made Cheap, Speedy, And Brought Home to Every Man's Door: Agreeable to the Principles of the Ancient Trial by Jury, Before the Same..... More

"Held in the Highest Estimation" Sugden, Edward Burtenshaw [1781-1875]. Ingraham, Edward D. [1793-1854], Editor. A Practical Treatise on Powers. With Notes and References to American Decisions. Philadelphia: Printed and Published by Abraham Small, 1823. xxxii, 703 pp. Octavo (8-1/2" x 5-1/4"). Recent period-style calf, blind fillets to boards, lettering piece..... More

Presentation Copy Inscribed by Holmes Holmes, Oliver Wendell, Jr. [1841-1935]. Speeches. Boston: Little, Brown, and Company, 1891. [v], 55 pp. Octavo (8-1/4" x 5-1/2"). Original cloth, title in gilt to front board, top-edge gilt, deckle fore and bottom-edges. Light soiling and some discoloration to boards, spine darkened, rubbing to extremities..... More

The Preparation of Voters Brinley, Charles A. [1847-1919]. Citizenship: Some Suggestions as to the Obligations, The Difficulties and the Preparation of Voters. Philadelphia, Porter & Coates, 1893. 44 pp. Octavo (9" x 6"). Printed stiff wrappers, deckle edges. Light soiling, a few chips to edges of wrappers, heavier chipping to..... More

Written to Clear the Names of Suspected Nantucket Bank Robbers Coffin, William. Gardner, Albert. A Narrative of the Robbery of the Nantucket Bank. Compiled from Original Documents. Nantucket, MA: Printed by Henry Clapp, 1816. 69 pp. Octavo (8-1/4" x 4-3/4"). Stab-stitched pamphlet bound into nineteenth-century three-quarter calf over marbled boards..... More

Raped Under Anesthesia by Her Dentist [Trial]. Beale, Stephen T., Defendant. Trial and Conviction of Dr. Stephen T. Beale; With the Letters of Chief Justice Lewis, And Judges Black and Woodward, On His Case. Interesting Ether Cases, And the Letters of Prof. Gibson, Prof. Wiltbank, Wm. Badger, Esq., W.L. Hirst..... More

A New York Lawyer Re-Establishes His Practice in Ohio [Manuscript Archive]. [Scott, Lyman, Jr.]. [Documents Concerning Scott's Application to Practice Law in Ohio]. Coshocton County, OH and Cattaraugus County, NY, 1832-1836. Six documents, one franked on verso, sizes ranging from 4-1/2" x 8" to 12-1/2" x 7-1/2." Moderate toning, fold..... More

First Edition of a Standard American Treatise on Admiralty Law Benedict, Erastus C. [1800-1880]. The American Admiralty: Its Jurisdiction and Practice with Practical Forms and Directions. New York: Banks, Gould & Co., 1850. xiii, 651 pp. Octavo (9" x 6"). Recent period-style calf by Philip Dusel, red and black lettering..... More

Landmark Textbook on Contracts Parsons, Theophilus [1797-1882]. Kellen, William V. [1852-1942], Editor. The Law of Contracts. With Additions by William V. Kellen. Boston: Little, Brown, and Company, 1883. Three volumes. ccxxii, 609; xx, 945; x, 722 pp. Octavo (9" x 6"). Contemporary sheep, blind frames to boards, raised bands and..... More

An Indispensable Work for Busy Lawyers Jones, Leonard A. [1832-1909]. Forms in Conveyancing, Comprising Precedents for Ordinary Use, And Clauses Adapted to Special and Unusual Cases. With Practical Notes. Boston and New York: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1886. v, [1], 826, [4] pp. Octavo (9-1/4" x 5-3/4"). Contemporary sheep, blind..... More