Justice Court Liquor Search Dockets

Series

Identifier: 5604-01

Staff Only

Scope and Contents note

Prohibition in Washington State began in 1916, three years before the U.S. Constitution was amended to outlaw the manufacture, transportation, and sale of alcohol on a national level. The state law was less draconian – county auditors were allowed to grant permits to import limited amounts of alcohol – but was still widely violated. Bootleggers and rumrunners did a thriving business supplying Washingtonians with illegal liquor, and many people built stills to manufacture their own. Until Prohibition was repealed in 1933, Seattle civic leaders cracked down on this activity to varying degrees. Mayor Hiram Gill was among the more severe, establishing a widely criticized “Dry Squad” to raid businesses and homes suspected of violating the ban.

These series is a record of warrants issued by Justice Court to search for illegally possessed alcohol. Includes address of search, date, officer’s name, and description of seized liquor and equipment (if any). Volume 8 (Liquor Search Docket) and Volume 2 (Liquor Search Warrant Docket) also contain names of individuals who were targets of searches. Seized liquor varied from amounts as small as half a pint to thousands of bottles. Officers also seized stills, mash, funnels, and jugs.

Liquor Search Dockets from 1938 to 1942 are held by the King County Archives. In addition, the Puget Sound Branch of the Washington State Archives holds one Liquor Search Docket dated 1924-1926 and one journal listing liquor search warrants dated 1923-1925.

Dates

Creation: 1923-1944

Creator

Washington (State). Justice of the Peace Court (King County) (Organization)

Conditions Governing Access note

Records are open to the public.

Historical Note

The first judicial officer for Seattle was appointed by the City Council in 1875 from among the King County Justices of the Peace serving the Seattle Precinct. In 1886, a charter amendment made each Seattle Precinct Justice a Police Justice with jurisdiction over ordinance violations. The 1890 Freeholders Charter officially established a Police Court in the city. This provision was repealed in 1892, after an 1891 state law created a Municipal Court system that included a Justice Court and Police Court. The Police Court was a “court of limited jurisdiction” under the purview of the city of Seattle. (In contrast, the county was the parent agency for the Justice Court.) One of the justices of the peace in the Seattle Precinct was appointed to serve on the Police Court in addition to his duties on the Justice Court. The Police Court heard violations of state law that occurred within the city limits, as well as violations of City ordinances. It dealt with misdemeanors, traffic offenses, minor civil suits, and small claims, and also heard liquor-related cases during Prohibition.

The Police Court was called by varying names over the years. Before 1891, it seems to generally have been known as the Police Court. From 1891 to 1897, it was called the Municipal Court, and then again was referred to as the Police Court until 1928, when it was once again called the Municipal Court. It retained that name from then on, except for 1954-1955, when it was called the Municipal Police Court. The currently constituted Municipal Court was created in 1955 under Chapter 290 of the Washington State Laws. It has exclusive original jurisdiction over violations of all city ordinances, collects fines and forfeitures relating thereto, and hears cases related to misdemeanor defined by State statute that occur within the City limits. Municipal judges are elected by the qualified electors of the City of Seattle.

The Justice Court, also created by the 1891 state law, was a “court of limited jurisdiction” under the purview of King County. The justices of the peace on the bench of the Justice Court dealt with misdemeanors, traffic offenses, minor civil suits, and small claims, and also heard liquor-related cases during Prohibition. More serious cases were referred to the county’s Superior Court. In 1961, the Washington State Justice Court Act combined the Justice Court and the District Court into one entity, a change that was adopted by King County in 1962.

Extent

8 Volumes

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Record of warrants issued by Justice Court to search for illegally possessed alcohol during Prohibition era.

Related Archival Materials note

Record series 5602-01 (Docket Record of Liquor Cases, 1917-1926) and 5602-02 (Liquor Docket Index, 1916-1926) relate to liquor-related cases heard in Police Court during this era.