Amanda Bevan 26 November 2011 Opening up Chancery litigation,

3 The Six Clerks Office, Chancery Lane [ ]

4 Stone Buildings, Lincolns Inn

5 Court of Chancery goes back to 1380s C 1 – : 75,000 detailed descriptions searchable when our online catalogue was launched in 2001

Chancery Pleadings, C 2- C 17 1,027,000 sets of pleadings In 2001 half - no description in the catalogue half - poor description in the catalogue

In 2011: a quarter - no description a quarter - good description a quarter - poor description a quarter - in progress

8 10 years intermittent work – 2 years on something completely different data problems data structure problems software problems authenticity v searchability problems resource problems the Why would anyone look at Chancery? problem

9 Family Names of the United Kingdom (FaNUK) Discovery PROCAT Editorial

10 C 2 in progress C 3 on catalogue (thanks to the Friends) C 4 on catalogue (thanks to Alistair Hanson)

11 C 5 - in progress C % in C 7-C 10- still to do

12 C % detailed (thanks to volunteers) 75% in with a brief description (thanks to Jones team)

All in with a brief description: being improved by staff and volunteers

14 After 1875: Chancery becomes the Chancery Division of the Supreme Court … and we have an even worse set of problems

15 What can you find …ideally …? Short title Document type Plaintiffs Defendants Subject and place A code

16 Short titles change Document type helps you tie cases together Short title and document type:

17 Subject or place and most parties:

18

(C 11) Names Occupations Residence Not subject

Names, relations. Some idea of place. No subjects.

21 Codes to search by …. SFP sole female plaintiff JFP joint female plaintiffs CBP corporate body plaintiff UBPunincorporate body plaintiff

22 And the last problem … Why would anyone look at Chancery? … because it gives us all the chance to uncover the worries and concerns of people in the past …