Sonoma County CA Archives History - Books .....The Courts Of Sonoma County 1877
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Book Title: Historical And Descriptive Sketch Of Sonoma County, California

THE COURTS OF SONOMA COUNTY,
FROM ITS ORGANIZATION TO 1877.

   The seventh judicial district, which included the county of Sonoma, was
organized in 1850. The first district judge was Robert Hopkins; he was elected
at the first session of the legislature, which convened in San Jose in 1850.
Judge Hopkins held the first term of the court in the town of Sonoma, on the
second day of September, 1850. He held the office of district judge until 1853,
when he was succeeded by E. W. McKinstry, now one of the supreme judges of the
State.

   Judge McKinstry served until 1862. After the November term of that year he
resigned, and James B Southard was appointed in his stead by Governor Stanford,
for the unexpired term. Judge Southard served until the February term, 1870,
when he was superceded by Judge W. C. Wallace, who had been elected the previous
year. Judge Wallace served one full terra and was reelected in 1875, but the
legislature of the winter of 1875-6 created the twenty-second district out of
the counties of Sonoma, Marin and Mendocino. Judge Wallace still presides in the
seventh district, and Judge Jackson Temple was appointed by Governor Irwin the
first judge in the new district, and held the first term of his court in Sonoma
county on the 2d day of May, 1876.

THE COURT OF SESSIONS.

   The Court of Sessions first met in the town of Sonoma in 1850. H. A. Green
was county judge, and Charles Hudspeth and Peter Campbell were chosen associate
justices. This court, beside their judicial powers, had control of the county
business; they provided buildings for public purposes, and first divided the
county into townships. Some time in 1851, Judge Green died, and Martin E. Cooke
was appointed in his place. Mr. Cooke declined to serve, and W. O. King was
appointed, and held one term of the court. The same fall the Hon. C. P. Wilkins
was elected by the people as county judge. In 1852 Peter Campbell and J. M.
Terrill were elected associate justices.

   October 3d of the same year, Phil. R. Thompson and A. C. Godwin were elected
in place of the first named persons, whose terms expired.

   In 1854 Judge Wilkins resigned, and Phil. R. Thompson was appointed in his
place; J. B. Boggs and J. B. Pettus were elected associate justices.

   In 1854 Frank W. Shattuck was elected county judge, he resigned in 1855, and
John E. McNair was appointed in his place; Phil. R. Thompson and J. E. Prewett
were associate justices.

   In the fall of 1855, William Churchman was elected county judge, and James A.
Reynolds and S. T. Coulter were chosen as associate justices.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

HISTORICAL
AND
DESCRIPTIVE SKETCH
OF
SONOMA COUNTY,
CALIFORNIA,
BY
ROBERT A. THOMPSON,
EDITOR OF "THE SONOMA DEMOCRAT."
PHILADELPHIA:
L. H. EVERTS & CO. 
1877.


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