Pennsylvania State Archives Collection

Images of a record of appellate cases in the Supreme Court, Western District. Cases deal with issues under the Court's mandatory and discretionary jurisdiction. Cases falling within the Court's mandatory jurisdiction dealt with capital punishment, questions of constitutionality, finance and revenue, elections, and others. Cases falling within the Court's discretionary jurisdiction included cases where two intermediate courts had opposing decisions or cases that posed open questions of law, among others. Entries for each case list: the plaintiff (appellant) and defendant (appellee); the names of the attorneys appearing for the parties; the county and the lower courts from which the appellate cases arose; a chronological listing of the documents filed and proceedings held in the case; and the Court's subsequent decision or orders. Justices delivering the opinions are often noted, and from 1795 to 1836, the name of the prothonotary recording the case is entered. During the period 1894-1919, many of the dockets contain statistical summaries concerning the number and types of cases processed, and from 1930 to 1965, penciled notations are found that refer to the published cases and opinions of the Supreme Court in the Pennsylvania State Reports. A reference number that indicates when the case was recorded as having been argued in the Court Minute Books appears from 1935 onwards. Docket sheets dating after 2000 were printed from an electronic database and may contain a report date postdating the docket date. Dockets postdating 2000 may also be found online through the Administrative Offices of the Pennsylvania Courts' website. Disclaimer: Not all records in this collection are digitized. Visit the PA State Archives to see the rest of the collection.

Images of gubernatorial appointments and commissions. Information usually provided is name of appointee, name of Governor or Commission making the appointment, the title of the position to which applicant was appointed, the date of appointment, term of the appointment, Gubernatorial certificate signed by the Governor and Secretary of the Commonwealth, and Senate confirmation letter. Correspondence was generally sent on behalf of applicants and may sometimes provide more detailed information about an applicant. The microfilm covers the period through 1808. For names of applicants who applied for positions during the period 1775-1790 see "Guide to the Microfilm of the Records of Pennsylvania's Revolutionary Governments, 1775-1790," by Roland M. Baumann. Related records are in the following series of Records Group 27, Records of Pennsylvania's Revolutionary Governments: Appointment Book, 1777-1790 series 27.19; Appointments File, Military, 1775-1790 series 27.20; and Appointments File, Political, 1775-1790 series 27.21. Also see, MG-001, Appointments and Commissions Collection. Disclaimer: Not all records in this collection are digitized. Visit the PA State Archives to see the rest of the collection.

Agenda, minutes, resolutions, reports, public hearings, and testimony of the State Highway and Bridge Authority (SHBA), State Highway Commission (SHC), State Transportation Commission (STC), the State Transportation Advisory Committee (STAC), and the Pennsylvania Transportation Assistance Authority (PTAA). These rolls of microfilm were created by the Department of Transportation.

Images of returns for primary and general elections certified by the county boards of elections. Information provided is name of county, election date, certification date, date return was received by the Department of State, names of offices to be filled, names of candidates and their party affiliations, vote totals for each candidate, and dated certification of the County Board of Election. Offices covered include Judge of the Superior Court, Justice of the Supreme Court, Judge of the Commonwealth Court, President and Vice-President of the United States, United States Senator, United States Representative, Auditor General, State Treasurer, Senator in the General Assembly, Representative in the General Assembly, Delegate to Party Conventions, State Committee, Governor, and Lieutenant Governor. Records from 1991 forward contain voter registration material. Please refer to General Election Statistical Files, 1960-1984 series 26.60 and Registration Figures, 1950, 1960, 1964, 1966, 1967-1972 series 26.81 for similar records. Disclaimer: Not all records in this collection are digitized. Visit the PA State Archives to see the rest of the collection.