National Archives at Chicago

US District and Circuit Court Records (Chicago)

Records of the U.S. Circuit and District Courts, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, Chicago

These records are held in the National Archives regional facility in Chicago, Illinois.

Record Group 21


Records of the U.S. Circuit Court

General Records, 1837-1911
General Ledgers, 1879-1883 (2 Vol.)
Roll of Attorneys, 1893-1911 (2 Vol.)
Orders of Payment of Jurors and Witnesses, 1872-1911 (1 Vol.)
Satisfactions of Judgement, 1871-1915
Assignments of Judgement, 1872-1915
Mixed Case Files, 1871-1911

Civil Records, 1871-1911
Execution Dockets (No. 3,4), 1872-1902
Plaintiff's General Index to Equity and Law, 1872-1911 (4 Vol.)
Defendant's General Index to Equity and Law, 1871-1911 (5 Vol.)
Civil Case Files, 1871-1911

Chancery Records, 1871-1911
Chancery Records (No. 9-64), 1871-1911

Law and Equity Records, 1837-1911
Register to Complete Records, Law and Chancery, 1866-1911 (2 Vol.)
Complete Records, Law and Chancery, 1866-1911 (372 Vol.)
Index, Law and Equity, 1894-1901 (1 Vol.)
Law and Equity Dockets (No. 1-37), 1837-1911 (39 Vol.)
Index to Judgements, 1871-1911 (3 Vol.)
Judgement Dockets (No. 4-8), 1871-1911 (5 Vol.)

Law Records, 1869-1911
Law Records (No.17-44), 1871-1911 (28 Vol.)
Complete Judgement Records, Law (No. 47-127), 1869-1896 (81 Vol.)

Criminal Records, 1886-1893
Appearance and Judgement Docket, 1886-1893 (1 Vol.)

Naturalization Records, 1906-1912
Records of Declaration of Intent (No.1-18), 1906-1911 (18 Vol.)
Naturalization Petition and Record Books (No.1-28), 1906-1911 (28 Vol.)
Index to Declarations of Intention, 1906-1911 (1 Vol.)
Index to Petitions for Naturalization, 1906-1911
Certificate of Naturalization Stubs, 1907-1911
Depositions, 1906-1912


Records of the U.S. District Court

General Records, 1819-1981
Appearance and Judgement Dockets, 1819-1880 12 cm.
Index to Judgement Dockets, 1879-1927 16 cm.
Judgement Dockets (No. 3-5, 9-16), 1872-1949 76 cm.
Miscellaneous and General Order Books, 1894-1959 65 cm.
Assignments of Judgement, 1883-1911 3 in.
Satisfactions of Judgement, 1874-1943 (2 pages) 86 cm.
Foreign and Miscellaneous Docket, 1935-1945 10 cm.
Foreign and Miscellaneous Case Files, 1935-1945 2.15m.
Ledgers (Bonds), 1917-1949 43 cm.
General Ledgers, 1892-1951 15 cm.
Ledgers and Exhibits Insull Utilities, 1929-1933 89 cm.
Redemptions, 1879-1907 3 cm.
Roll of Attorneys, 1873-1955 (2 pages) 15 cm.
Mandates, 1874-1945 1.1m.
Court Orders, 1895, 1960-1974 2 cu. ft.
Plaintiff Index to Civil and Miscellaneous Cases, 1938-1942 0.2 cf.
Defendant Index to Civil and Miscellaneous Cases, 1938-1942 0.2 cf.
Index to Civil and Criminal Cases, c. 1932-c. 1978 36 cf. (six filing cabinets)
Miscellaneous Accounts, January 2, 1911-July 2, 1915 0.25 linear inches
Minute Sheets, 1974-1981 5 cf.
Civil, Equity, and General Case Files, 1973-1983 24 cf.

Admiralty Records, 1871-1942
Libelant's General Index, 1871-1894 6 cm.
Complete Admiralty Records (1-29), 1871-1911 1.8 m.
Admiralty Docket Book, 1938-1942
Admiralty Case Files, 1938-1942 61 cm.

Bankruptcy Records--Act of 1867, 1867-1889
Bankruptcy Court Dockets (1-10), 1867-1882 70 cm.
Bankruptcy Registers Dockets, 1867-1878 77 cm.
Bankruptcy Referee Claims Docket, 1877-1882 14 cm.
Bankruptcy Record Books (5 - 19), 1871-1889 90 cm.
Bankruptcy Orders of Reference, 1871-1873 5 cm.
Bankruptcy Orders of Notice and Publication, 1872-1876 5 cm.
Bankruptcy Orders of Discharge, 1872-1881 11 cm.
Bankruptcy Case Files, Act of 1867, 1872-1878 125.6 m.

Bankruptcy Records -Act of 1898, 1898-1981
Indexes to Bankruptcy Dockets, 1898-1938 44 cm.
Bankruptcy Minute Sheets, 1950-1959, 1970-1981
Bankruptcy Docket Books, 1898-1980 311.6 cu. ft.
Bankruptcy Referee Dockets, 1898-1942 11.6 m.
Bankruptcy Referee Fiscal Dockets (1-417) 1945-1970 (6 pages) 177 ft.
Bankruptcy Referee Claims Dockets, 1898-1944 14 m.
Bankruptcy Record Books, 1898-1959 (2 pages) 31.5 m.
Bankruptcy Referee Minute Books, 1923-1953, 1964-1971 70 cu. ft.
Bankruptcy Adjudication Records, 1899-1951 2.6 m.
Bankruptcy Composition Ledgers, 1904-1942 27 cm.
Bankruptcy Orders of Reference, 1899-1933 1.7 m.
Bankruptcy Orders of Notice and Publication, 1899-1934 1.4 m.
Bankruptcy Orders of Discharge, 1899-1939 1.7 m.
Bankruptcy Case Files - Act of 1898, 1898-1946 4,448 cu. ft.
Bankruptcy Transcripts, 1938-1955 2.1 m.
Miscellaneous Bankruptcy Files of Insull Utilities Investment Case, 1929-1932
     118.2 m.
Bankruptcy Referee Order Books ("Judge's Orders") 4.05 m.
Records of Referee Meetings, 1941-1960 18.2 m.
Referee's Claim Docket Sheets, ca. 1936-ca. 1942 0.25 linear inches
Bankruptcy Orders, no date-1950 2 cu ft.

Civil Records, 1871-1985
Civil Dockets (3-11), 1871-1911 78 cm.
Civil Docket Books, 1938-1981 11.35 m.
Civil Records (7-25), 1871-1914 1.5 m.
Civil Records (1-214), Civil Order Book, 1938 - 1959 (2 pages) 20.0m.
Civil Minute Books, 1950-1955 54 cm.
Execution Dockets (2-3, 5-7), 1872-1961 42 cm.
Civil Case Files, 1871-1911 58 m.
Civil Transcripts, 1939-1967 268 cu. ft.
Civil Depositions, 1941-1951 3 cu. ft.
Civil Case Files, 1938-1985 6,588 cu. ft.
Civil Order Books, 1980-1981 33 cu. ft.
Sealed Civil Case Files, 1948-1978 87 cu. ft.
Sealed Civil Case Files, 1964-1981 96 cu. ft.
Closed September 1980 Civil Case Files, 1968-1969 24 cu. ft.
Closed September 1981 Civil Case Files, 1968-1969 26 cu. ft.

Chancery Records, 1872-1883
Final Chancery Record (1-6), 1872-1883 42 cm.

Law and Equity Records, 1912-1950
Plaintiff's General Index to Equity and Law (5-9, 9A, and 10), 1912-1938 52 cm.
Defendant's General Index to Equity and Law, 1912-1938 60 cm.
Equity Docket's (1-66), 1913-1938 5.1 m.
Equity Minute Books, 1930-1935 29 cm.
Equity Records (65-159), 1912-1938 8.9 m.
Final Record - Law and Chancery (393-429), 1912-1916 2 m.
Equity Order Books, 1929-1931 28 cm.
Equity Case Files, 1916-1939 499.48 m.
Equity Transcripts, 1918-1932 10.4 m.
Law and Equity Transcripts, 1939-1950 61 cm.
Equity Depositions, 1937-1938 30 cm.
Plaintiff Index to Equity Cases, 1928-1938 0.2 cf.
Defendant's Index to Equity Cases, 1928-1942 0.4 cf.

Law Records, 1872-1943
Law Dockets (38-71, 71A, 72-95), 1912-1942 4.4 m.
Law Minute Books, 1930-1938 30 cm.
Law Records (45-77), 1912-1936 2.6 m.
Complete Law Records, 1872-1880 1.3 m.
Civil Case Files (Law), 1912-1942 304.4 m.
Plaintiff Index to Law Cases, 1928-1935 0.2 cf.
Defendant Index to Law Cases, 1928-1935 0.2 cf.

Habeas Corpus Records, 1929-1943
Habeas Corpus Docket Book, 1929-1942 10 cm.
Habeas Corpus Case Files, 1929-1943 93 cm.

Criminal Records, 1872-1985
Index to Criminal Dockets (1-2, 2A, and 3-6), 1873-1942 25 cm.
Criminal Dockets, 1892-1980 66.4 cu. ft.
Criminal Minute Books, 1949-1959 28 cm.
Records of Criminal Indictments, 1872-1887 6 cm.
Criminal Record Books, 1872-1959 (2 pages) 12.7m.
Index to Final Criminal Record, 1893 2 cm.
Final Criminal Record (2-15, 30), 1877-1899 92 cm.
Criminal Judgement Docket and Index, 1933 5 cm.
Criminal Docket, US Marshal (1- 2), 1928-1949 11 cm.
Criminal Subpoena Dockets (1-4), 1893-1925 31 cm.
Grand Jury Subpoena Dockets (2-3), 1906-1930 12 cm.
Removal Docket (1), 1925-1942 7 cm.
Search Warrant Docket, 1926-1940 6 cm.
Criminal Case Files, 1873-1985 1,461.85 cu. ft.
Criminal Transcripts, 1941-1964 69 cu. ft.
Criminal Removal Case Files 1925-1942 2.5 m.
U.S. Commissioners' Criminal Case Files, 1915-1921 3.35 m.
Criminal Court Orders and Motion Slips, 1934-1941 3 m.
Index to Criminal Cases, 1873-c. 1939 1.2 cf.
Appearance Bonds, 1959-1969 6.02 cu. ft.
Criminal Order Books, 1980 1 cu. ft.
Criminal Judgment and Order Books, 1981 2 cu. ft.
Closed 1981 Criminal Case Files, 1979 1 cu. ft.

Naturalization Records, 1872-1999
Index to Declarations of Intention, 1906-1960 1.05 m.
Declarations of Intention, 1872-1987, 1989-1991 57 cu. ft.
Naturalization Orders, 1872-1903 1 cm.
Naturalization Order Books, 1921-1986, 1989-1992 18 cu. ft.
Naturalization Depositions, 1909-1977 20.96 m.
Naturalization Journals, 1925-1959 1.33 ft.
Records of Repatriations, 1936-1969 77 cm.
Index to Naturalization Petition and Record Books, 1906-1960 2.75 m.
Naturalization Petition and Record Books, 1906-1991 674 ft.
      *note Vol. 74 missing
Military Naturalization Petition and Record Books, 1918-1926 2.2m.
Certificate of Naturalization Stubs, 1912-1925 8.48 m.
Naturalization Petitions, 1872-1902 6 cm.
Naturalization Case Files, 1928-1978 1 m.
Designations of Examiner or Officer, 1918-1935 1 cm.
Naturalization Transfer Petitions, 1953-c.1987 1.36 cu. ft.
Overseas Military Naturalization Petition Books, 1942-1956 2 cm.
Repatriation Order Book, 1940 2 cm.
Records of Soldier Repatriations, 1918-1941 3 cm.
Register of Transfer Cases, 1953-1964 1 cm.
Index to Naturalization Petitions, 1926-1979, 42 cu. ft.
Index to Naturalization Petitions, 1980-1991, 9.86 cu. ft.
Naturalization Transfer Case Interrogatories in Depositions of Witnesses,
     c.1953-c.1979 1 cu. ft.
Monthly Report, Naturalization Papers Forwarded, Jan. 1989- Oct. 1991. 0.25 cf.
Correspondence, Memorandums, Statistics, and Other Records Relating to the
      Administration of Naturalization Proceedings, 1980-1994. 0.25 cf.
Petitions for Name Change, November 1991-January 13, 1999 14.28 cu. ft.
Final Hearing Lists for Naturalization, January 4, 1983-December 30, 1986
     1.36 cu. ft.
Index of Citizens Naturalized, January 1, 1987-May 31, 1988 1 cu. ft.
Naturalization Index, January 1, 1987-December 31, 1988 0.68 cu. ft.
Naturalization Index for the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois,
     Western Division at Freeport and Rockford, ca. 1931-ca. 1986 0.17 cu. ft.

Records of Railroad Arbitration Cases, 1910-1955
Railroad Arbitration Proceedings, 1910-1955 8.3 m

Records of U.S. Commissioners' 1872-1972
Commissioner's Dockets, 1872-1951, 1965-1967, 1947-1972 65.75 cu. ft.
Commissioner's Warrants Docket, 1875-1877 4 cm.

Records of Judicial Administration (under 1 cu. ft.)
Appointments and Oaths of Judges, 1892-1931 (not inclusive)
Orders-Designations of Judges, 1897-1952 (not inclusive)
Appointments-Special Assistants to U.S. Attorneys on Annenberg Case, 1939
Rules of the Court-Bankruptcy, 1898-1955 (not inclusive)
Rules of the Court-General, 1828-1955 (not inclusive)

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