In Clinch River Justice, a boy matures into manhood, falls in love, and begins to find his way in life. As an inexperienced but idealistic deputy sheriff, this young man, Charley Scott, faces a rash of deaths in a normally idyllic, peaceful Appalachian community in the early 1940s. These deaths of neighbors and a beloved family member result when greed, passion, jealousy, hopelessness, or utter disdain for the life or welfare of another human overcomes some residents’ sense of fi delity and of right and wrong. In the young deputy’s endeavors to apprehend killers and in his quest for justice, he learns how difficult that simple concept is to achieve.

This is a highly regarded account of the formation of the 173 present-day and extinct counties of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Commencing with the incorporation in 1617 of the first four parishes of the Virginia Colony, James City, Charles City, Henrico and Elizabeth City, and concluding with the formation of Dickenson County in 1880 from portions of Russell, Wise and Buchanan counties, this marvelously compact book accounts for the beginnings and alterations of each and every county in Virginia, as well as those Virginia counties now found in the states of West Virginia and Kentucky. Mrs. Hiden, whose engaging narrative of Virginia boundary changes commands the reader's attention throughout, describes the historical factors leading to the formation of new counties, such as the spread of population, military and other territorial expansion, and the role of politics and the law; explains how the counties were named (as in the case of Princess Anne, which was named for the second daughter of King James II); and outlines the new boundary lines themselves. For the convenience of the researcher, at the back of the volume are a series of charts showing the progression of county formation, an alphabetical list of Virginia counties keyed to the charts, a subject index, and a map of Colonial Virginia.

In 'How Justice Grew: Virginia Counties, An Abstract of Their Formation' by Martha W. Hiden, readers are immersed in a comprehensive study of the evolution of Virginia Counties, focusing on the intricate process of their establishment and development. Hiden's meticulous research provides a detailed account of the legal, administrative, and social factors that influenced the formation of these counties, offering a unique insight into the historical context of Virginia's judicial system. Written in a scholarly tone, this book combines analytical rigor with engaging storytelling to make the content accessible to a wide audience. Martha W. Hiden, a renowned historian specializing in Virginia's legal history, brings her expertise to 'How Justice Grew', shedding light on a crucial aspect of the state's governance. Her passion for archival research and dedication to uncovering the origins of Virginia counties make her a leading authority in the field, adding credibility and depth to the narrative. For readers interested in the legal history of Virginia or those fascinated by the evolution of judicial systems, 'How Justice Grew' is a must-read. Hiden's insightful exploration of county formation provides a valuable resource for scholars, historians, and anyone curious about the foundations of justice in Virginia.

Also probed is the part played by the early federal courts in America's neutrality-based foreign policy and in promoting economic enterprise by affording national forums for credit transactions, for corporations, for patent claimants, for those who suffered losses on the sea including maritime labor, and for real property owners and claimants. Political and social control issues, some of historic significance, reached the courts in the mid-Atlantic South. Professor Fish treats the national security impulses that dominated the seditious libel trial of James Callender, the treason trial of Aaron Burr, and the trials of numerous privateers-pirates for violating the nation's piracy and neutrality laws including the first capital case heard by a regularly constituted circuit court. The author explores judges' invocation of higher law, their embrace of a common law of crimes and their perplexity in construing uncertain language in statutes prohibiting the international slave trade.

Some vols. also contain reports of cases in the General Court of Virginia.