>I have copies of a NC court case that began 1818 and was still going >on 1820. Hopefully someone can explain a part of that court case. >My question: Willis was found guilty and sentenced to 39 lashes >February Term 1820. Why then was he required to appear in March "to >answer a charge of Petit Larceny". Was this March Court an >additional case of Petit Larceny? > >Thanks for any help. >____________________________________________ > >Willis WEST was charged with petit larceny in 1818. February Term, >1820, he was found guilty and sentenced to 39 lashes. > >February Sessions of 1820 found five persons were to appear day to >day to give evidence against Willis WEST. (Recognizances found for >trial to Feby Sessions 1820 are exact words) > >Recognizances taken at Feb Term 1820 at Sampson County Court. Two >persons were bonded at 500 each and required to assure the >appearance of Willis WEST at the Courthouse in Sampson County before >the Judge of the Superior Court of Law & Equity on the 4th Monday >after the 4th Monday in March 1820 to answer a charge of Petit >Larceny. (Willis also had to post 500 bond) >____________________________________________ > >"Fran" <[email protected]> I suspect that the business of the February Term 1820 went into March. Courts had/have different terms. If a court was convened four times a year, it might have a February, May, August and November term. In Maryland our Appellate courts have one September term. They hear cases 12 months of the year, but for some reason the numbers that a case gets is assigned to a term, such as "Case No. 1234, September Term 2005", even though nothing necessarily happens with the case in September. Jerry Ukes <[email protected]>