Dear Rod, Unfortunately, there are very few records kept for the cases appearing at the quarterly assizes. Unless the case was a 'juicy' one such as assault or covered a particular point of law, details were rarely kept. Those records that have survived are held at Dorset History Centre - you can search their catalogue at http://www.dorsetforyou.com/dorsethistorycentre However the ledgers were kept, but they give extremely limited information. They have been digitised and are accessible via Ancestry. The entry for Robert is: Dorset - 1817 When tried - Lent Assizes Name - Robert SAUNDERS Crime - Larceny Imprisonment - 6 mths. The assizes were reported in the local papers, but unfortunately 1817 is too early for many of them. The Dorset County Chronicle ran from 1823 - 1957, microfilm of which is held at Dorest History Centre. However, if he came from the Sherborne area, you may be more lucky - The Western Gazette (amalgamation of the Sherborne Mercury & Western Flying Post) ran from 1737 - 1867. Microfilms of the issues from 1740 - to date are held at the Somerset Studies Library in Taunton . The Sherborne Journal ( a rival to the above) ran from 1764 - 1886, but only some issues have survived before 1829 and are not on microfilm. Regards Vanessa Dorset ----- Original Message ----- From: "rod" <rodhill309@bigpond.com> To: <dorset@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, November 01, 2010 11:02 PM Subject: Re: [DOR] Dorset Lent Assizes 1817 > Hi > thanks for your reply. > I am looking for a Robert SAUNDERS who was tried in the lent assizes in > 1817, would like to know what details these records would give me,native, > place details of the offence , witness statement etc > Rod > > -----Original Message----- > From: Maddy Duke > Sent: Tuesday, November 02, 2010 1:51 AM > To: dorset@rootsweb.com > Subject: Re: [DOR] Dorset Lent Assizes 1817 > > Who are you looking for? > Kind regards > Maddy Duke > -----Original Message----- > From: dorset-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:dorset-bounces@rootsweb.com] On > Behalf Of rod > Sent: 01 November 2010 09:12 > To: DORSET > Subject: [DOR] Dorset Lent Assizes 1817 > > Hi can someone tell where I can access these records Dorset Lent Assizes > 1817 and what information these records held > any assistance would be most appreciated > Rod >