United States Statutes at Large/Volume 5/28th Congress/1st Session/Chapter 12

United States Statutes at Large, Volume 5
United States Congress
4107596United States Statutes at Large, Volume 5 — Public Acts of the Twenty-Eighth Congress, First Session, Chapter 12United States Congress


April 12, 1844.

Chap. XII.An Act to change the time of holding the Spring term of the District Court of the United States for the Eastern District of Virginia, and of the Circuit Court of Alabama.[1]

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,Spring term of District Court of Virginia, when to commence. That the Spring term of the District Court of the United States for the Eastern District of Virginia, which is now directed by law to commence on the first day of May in the borough of Norfolk, shall hereafter commence on the thirtieth day of May in each year: Provided, That whenever the day on which the term of said Court is herein provided for shall happen to be on Sunday, then the term of said Court shall commence on the following day:

Process, when returnable.Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That from and after the passing of this act, all proceedings and process depending in, or issuing out of the said Court, which are, or may be made returnable to any other time for holding the Spring term of the said Court than as above specified, shall be deemed legally returnable on the day herein before prescribed and not otherwise. And that all suits and other proceedings in said Court, which stand continued to any other time, for the Spring term of said Court than as above specified shall be deemed continued to the time prescribed by this act, and no other.

Terms of the Circuit Court of Alabama, when to commence.Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That hereafter the Spring term of the Circuit Court of the United States for the Fifth Judicial Circuit and Southern District of Alabama, shall commence on the third Monday in April; and the Fall term of said Court shall commence on the fourth Monday in December in each and every year, instead of the periods now fixed by law, and continued in session as long as the business may require.

The Judges may hold an extra term.Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That if from any cause there should be a failure to hold the said Circuit Court at the periods designated in this act, the judges thereof shall have power, and are hereby authorized to hold an extra term of said Court at such time as they may think proper.

Approved, April 12, 1844.


  1. See notes of the acts which relate to the District Court of Virginia, vol. 3, 479.

    Circuit Court of Alabama: act of Feb. 19, 1831, chap. 28; act of Feb. 22, 1838, chap. 12; act of March 3, 1839, chap. 81.