A True Philadelphia Lawyer Brown, David Paul [1795-1872]. The Forum; or Forty Year Full Practice at the Philadelphia Bar. Philadelphia: Robert H. Small, 1856. Two volumes. Illustrated. Octavo (9" x 6"). Original pebbled cloth, blind frames to boards, gilt titles and ornaments and a negligible bit of shelf-label residue to..... More

The Law is Not Uncertain Pickering, John [1777-1846]. A Lecture on the Alleged Uncertainty of the Law; Delivered Before the Boston Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, March 5, 1830. Boston: Lilly, Wait, and Company, 1834. 28 pp. Octavo (8-3/4" x 5-1/2"). Disbound stab-stitched pamphlet. Moderate toning and light..... More

A Lethal Barroom Brawl in Pennsylvania [Manuscript]. [Pennsylvania]. [Witness Testimony in Commonwealth v. Hartman et al.]. Berks County, Pennsylvania, August 20, 1874. [30] ff. 12-1/2" x 7-3/4" ruled sheets held together with brass tabs at top-edge, text in single neat hand to rectos. Light toning, slight creasing near top-edge, occasional..... More

The Scandal that Led to the First U.S. Law Governing Abortion Rogers, Ammi [1770-1852]. Memoirs of the Rev. Ammi Rogers, A.M. A Clergyman of the Episcopal Church, Educated at Yale College in Connecticut, Ordained in Trinity Church in the City of New-York,- Persecuted in the State of Connecticut, On Account..... More

A Legal Manual for Local Government in Vermont Kinsman, J[osiah] Burnham [1824-1912]. The Vermont Townsman: A Compilation of the Laws of Vermont in Relation to the Powers, Duties, And Liabilities of Town Officers and Towns, With Forms, Directions, And Legal Decisions Adapted to the Statutes of the State. Boston: Brown..... More

Livingston's Influential Code of Reform and Prison Discipline Livingston, Edward [1764-1836]. A Code of Reform and Prison Discipline: To Which is Prefixed, An Introductory Report to the Same. With an Introduction by Salmon P. Chase, LL.D., Chief Justice of the United States. New York: Published under the Auspices of the..... More

"One of the Great Pleasures of the Legal Bibliophile" Jacobsen, Frederick J. [1774-1822]. Frick, William [1790-1855], Translator. Laws of the Sea, With Reference to Maritime Commerce, During Peace and War. From the German by William Frick. Baltimore: Published by Edward J. Coale, 1818. xxxv, 636 pp. Octavo (8-1/4" x 5-1/4")..... More

Every Pennsylvanian His Own Lawyer A Gentleman of the Bar. The Pocket Companion; Or, Every Man His Own Lawyer: Containing a Variety of Precedents, Laid Down in So Plain a Manner, That the Farmer, Mechanic, Apprentice, Or School Boy, Can Draw Any Instrument of Writing Without the Assistance of an..... More

New York City in 1817 [New York City]. Laws and Ordinances Ordained and Established by the Mayor, Aldermen, And Commonalty of the City of New-York, By Common Council Convened, During the Mayoralty of Jacob Radcliff. To Which is Added, The Law of the State of New-York Relative to the Transportation..... More

The Law of Carriers, Hotels, Bars and Warehouses Jeremy, Henry. The Law of Carriers, Inn-Keepers, Warehousemen, And Other Depositories of Goods for Hire. London, Printed: New York: Reprinted and Published by I. Riley, 1816. vii, 163 [i.e. 139], [5] pp. Octavo (8-1/4" x 5"). Contemporary three-quarter calf over marbled boards..... More

First Separate Printing of Brackenridge's Eloquent Defense of Religious Liberty for Maryland Jews [Brackenridge, Henry Marie (1786-1871)]. Niles' Weekly Register. New Series. No. 14-Vol. IV. Baltimore, May 29, 1819. [Baltimore]: Printed and Published by H. Niles, [1819]. 225-240 pp. Octavo (9-3/4" x 6-1/4"). Disbound, leaves starting to separate at ends..... More

Murdered with Poisoned Sleeping Pills: McDade 444 Harris, Carlyle [1869-1893]. [Harris, Francis McCreedy], Editor. Articles, Speeches and Poems of Carlyle W. Harris. Edited by "Carl's Mother" (Hope Ledyard). New York: J.S. Ogilvie, [1893]. 205 pp. Portrait frontispiece. Octavo (7-1/4" x 4-3/4"). Original cloth, blind fillets to front board, gilt title..... More

New York JP Manual Arranged According to the Code of Civil Procedure Throop, Montgomery H. [1827-1892], Editor. The New York Justice's Manual, Containing All the Laws of the State, Relating to the Official Tenure and Duties of a Justice of the Peace, And the Proceedings in Civil Cases Before Him..... More

"A Major Step in the Transformation of Equity" Story, Joseph [1779-1845]. Commentaries on Equity Jurisprudence, As Administered in England and America. Revised, Corrected, And Enlarged. London: Reprinted...Under the Direction and Sanction of the Learned Author, By A. Maxwell, 1839. Two volumes. [i], xxxiii, 773; xl, 947 pp. Octavo (9-1/2" x...... More

A Copy Presented to the Notable Female Abolitionist, Maria Weston Chapman, by the Defendant [Trial]. Williamson, Passmore [1822-1895], Defendant. Cannon, Arthur, Reporter. Case of Passmore Williamson: Report of the Proceedings on the Writ of Habeas Corpus, Issued by the Hon. John K. Kane, Judge of the District Court of the..... More

With a Tipped-In Alexander Hamilton Signature Hamilton, Alexander [1757-1804]. Report of the Secretary of the Treasury, [Alexander Hamilton,] On the Subject of Manufactures, Made the Fifth of December, 1791. Printed by Order of the House of Representatives. Philadelphia: Printed by Joseph R.A. Skerrett, Jan. 1, 1824. vii, [9]-143 pp. 12mo..... More

A Radical Response to the Louisiana Purchase Massachusetts Farmer. [Lowell, John, Jr. (1769-1840)]. Thoughts in a Series of Letters, In Answer to a Question Respecting the Division of the States. [Boston?]: S.n., [1813]. 24 pp. Octavo (9-1/4" x 5-3/4"). Stab-stitched pamphlet in plain blue (sugar paper) wrappers, untrimmed edges. Light..... More

Cruelty Against a Woman, Or a Political Hatchet Job? Marie, Jane. The Case of Jane Marie, Exhibiting the Cruelty and Barbarous Conduct of James Ross, To a Defenceless Woman. Written and Published by the Object of His Cruelty and Vengeance, And Addressed to the Public of Philadelphia and the Whole..... More

Daniel Webster for the Defense [Trials]. Jackman, Joseph. Goodridge, Elijah Putnam [1787-1851], Defendant. The Sham-Robbery, Committed by Elijah Putnam Goodridge on His Own Person, In Newbury Near Essex Bridge, Dec. 19, 1816: With a History of His Journey to the Place Where he Robbed Himself: and His Trial with Mr..... More

An Important Defense of the Insanity Plea [Trial]. Huntington, Charles B. [b. 1821], Defendant. Trial of Charles B. Huntington For Forgery. Principal Defence: Insanity. Prepared for Publication by the Defendant's Counsel, From Full Stenographic Notes Taken by Messrs. Roberts & Warburton, Law Reporters. New York: John S. Voorhies, 1857. xii..... More

He Beat Her to Death with a Shovel: McDade 300 [Trial]. Farmer, Daniel Davis [1793-1822], Defendant. Rogers, Artemas, Reporter. Chase, Henry B., Reporter. Trial of Daniel Davis Farmer, For the Murder of the Widow Anna Ayer, At Goffstown, On the 4th of April, A.D. 1821. Concord [NH]: Published by Hill..... More

William W. Story's Copy of the Harvard Law Library Catalogue [Harvard Law School]. [Sumner, Charles (1811-1874), Compiler]. [Woodward, William R., Compiler]. A Catalogue of the Law Library of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Cambridge: Folsom, Wells, And Thurston, 1841. xii, 228 pp. Octavo (8-1/2" x 5-1/2"). Recent period-style three-quarter calf..... More

He Thought His Victim was Trying to Cheat Him: McDade 360 [Trial]. Goodwin, Henry K., Defendant. Commonwealth vs. Henry K. Goodwin: Charged by Indictment with the Wilful Murder of Albert D. Swan: Eighth Day of the Trial Before Charles Allen and William S. Gardner, Justices: Edgar J. Sherman, Attorney General..... More

"The Parties in this Cause Have Chosen You Referees..." [Pennsylvania]. [Summons to Appear as Referees in a Debt Dispute]. Horsham, Pennsylvania, October 26, 1846. 6-3/4" x 8" part-printed document completed in manuscript and signed by justice of the peace Charles Palmer, summary of judgement and autograph signatures of four men..... More

A Standard Treatise on Bankruptcy During the Gilded Age Bump, Orlando [1841-1884]. Law and Practice in Bankruptcy: With the Bankrupt Law of the United States as Amended, And the Rules and Forms; Together with Notes Referring to All Decisions Reported to May 1, 1873. New York: Baker, Voorhis, & Co...... More

Wharton on Homicide Wharton, Francis [1820-1889]. A Treatise on the Law of Homicide in the United States: To Which is Appended a Series of Leading Cases. Philadelphia: Kay and Brother, 1875. xli, [1], 794 pp. Octavo (9-1/4" x 6"). Contemporary sheep, blind rules to boards, raised bands and lettering piece..... More

Kinney's Law Dictionary Kinney, J. Kinderick. A Law Dictionary and Glossary: Primarily for the Use of Students but Adapted Also to the Use of the Profession at Large. Chicago: Callaghan and Co., 1893. iv, 706 pp. Octavo (5-3/4" x 9"). Contemporary sheep, blind rules to boards, raised bands and lettering..... More

21 Pamphlets Documenting the Aftermath of a Church Scandal [Onderdonk, Benjamin T. (1791-1861)]. Documents Touching the Trial of the Bishop of New York [Spine Title]. 22 titles. Various imprints, most New York, 1842-1848. Various paginations. Octavo (8-1/2" x 5"). Contemporary three-quarter calf over marbled boards, blind fillets to calf edges..... More

Account of an Adultery Trial Published to Block an Academic Appointment [Trial]. Ure, Andrew [1778-1857], Plaintiff. [Chapman, Nathaniel, Editor]. The Whole of the Proceedings, Duly Authenticated, In the Case of Divorce of Andrew Ure, M.D. v. Catharine Ure, For Adultery with Granville Sharpe Pattison. Tried in the Consistory Court at..... 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

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'au Congres de Vienne. Avec un Precis Historique du Droit des Gens Europeen Avant la Paix de Westphalie. Leipzig: F.A. Brockhaus, 1841. x...... More

Political Maneuvering at the Massachusetts Bible Society [Manuscript]. Greenleaf, Simon [1783-1853]. [Autograph Letter, Signed, To Charles Theodore Russell, Andover, MA, February 6, 1850]. 1 pp. letter to 10" x 8" bifolium on blue paper with integral address leaf and residue from wax seal, docketed "Simon Greenleaf Feby 6 1850" on..... More

Early South Carolina Appellate Reports [South Carolina]. Reports of Judicial Decisions in the Constitutional Court, Of the State of South-Carolina; Held at Charleston and Columbia, During the Years 1812, 13, 14, 15, And 16. To Which is Added, Two Cases Determined in the Court of Equity in the Year Eighteen..... More

A Conspiracy to Prevent Services in English in Two Lutheran Churches in Philadelphia [Trials]. Eberle, Frederick, Primary Defendant. Carson, James, Reporter. Trial of Frederick Eberle and Others, At a Nisi Prius Court, Held at Philadelphia, July 1816, Before the Honorable Jasper Yeates, Justice, For Illegally Conspiring Together by All Means..... 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

Probably the Single Most Important Interpretation of American Law Kent, James [1763-1847]. [Kent, William (1802-1861), Editor]. [Eaton, Dorman Bridgeman (1823-1899), Editor]. Commentaries on American Law. New York: Published by William Kent, 1851. Four volumes. Star-paged to the second edition (1832). Octavo (9-1/2" x 6"). Contemporary sheep, blind rules to boards..... More

Highway Robbery, Tomkins County, New York, 1879 [Broadside]. [Criminals]. [New York (State)]. $100.00 Reward!! Dated Oct. 8, 1879. Tomkins County, NY, October 8, 1879. 9-1/2" x 9" broadside, text in single column below headline. Light browning, horizontal fold line through center, a few chips and clean short tears to left-hand..... More

"Extraordinary Cases" of a Notable Nineteenth-Century Lawyer Clinton, Henry Lauren [1820-1899]. Extraordinary Cases. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1896. ix, 403 pp. With a tissue-guarded portrait frontispiece of Clinton. Octavo (8-1/4" x 5-1/4). Contemporary three-quarter morocco over cloth boards, gilt rules to morocco edges, gilt-edge raised bands, gilt fillets and..... 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

Four Interesting Titles on Jurisprudence and Legal Philosophy Mackintosh, Sir James [1765-1832]. Marvin, J[ohn] G[age] [1815-1855], Editor. A Discourse on the Study of the Law of Nature and Nations, Together with a Collected List of Works Upon International Law, A Sketch of the Author's Life, Etc. Boston: Pratt and Company..... More

Signed by Learned Hand [Hand, Learned (1872-1961)]. [Annotated Copy of a Marriage Service with Witness Signature of Learned Hand]. October 21, 1896. In The Marriage Service of the Book of Common Prayer. Our Marriage Vow---The Service and Minister's Certificate. New York: Thomas Whittaker, 1877. [x], 16, [19] pp. Octavo (6-1/2"..... 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