Warrant of Attorney Dockets, 1795-1874

About This Collection

A warrant of attorney is more specific than a letter or power of attorney, in that it is addressed to one or more attorneys authorizing them to appear in any court or in some specified court on behalf of a client to confess judgment in an action of debt, and contains a stipulation not to bring any writ of error or file a bill in equity. The defendant confessing judgment may also enter this warrant without an attorney by filing it with the Prothonotary. The Warrant of Attorney Dockets contain images of records of those cases in which such a warrant was entered and judgment confessed. Information provided includes names of plaintiff, defendant, and warranted attorney(s); amount of debt; notations of other papers filed; and date of confession of judgment. Some dockets contain actual warrants.