RG-38. RECORDS OF THE SUPERIOR COURT
Created in 1895 to relieve the workload of the Supreme Court, the Superior Court was made a constitutional court in 1968. An intermediate appellate court, the Superior Court hears all appeals from the Courts of Common Pleas that are not exclusively assigned to the Supreme or Commonwealth Courts. At present the court hears cases in Philadelphia, Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, and until the mid 1960s it also sat in Scranton.
EASTERN DISTRICT
Appeal Papers, 1895-1956. (105 cartons) Arranged chronologically by court term, and thereunder numerically by case number. Appeals filed with the Eastern District of the Superior Court. Information provided about each case includes the names of the parties involved, the name and county of the lower court from which the case was being appealed, the court term and case number, the date the appeal was filed, and a sworn statement by the appellant affirming that the appeal was not merely a frivolous filing. The following papers are available for Case No. 145 of the October 1946 term in the Superior Court regarding Incorporation of the Most Worshipful Widows’ Sons Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Colored Masons of Pennsylvania, vs. Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Pennsylvania: Notice of Appeal, Acceptance of Service, and Praecipe for Appearance; Appeal and Affidavit; Acknowledgment of Record, Remittitur, etc.; Order to Take Record Out of Court; Withdrawal of Motion to Discharge Appeal; Petition to Discharge Appeal; Affidavit of Service of Notice and Petition to Discharge Appeal; Assignments of Error; and Order and Decree Reversed and Application Refused at the Cost of the Appellee.
Appearance Dockets, 1895-1954. (55 volumes) Arranged chronologically by court term, and thereunder numerically by case number. Records of Superior Court proceedings in the Eastern District. For each case brought before the court, information given includes: names of parties and attorneys involved, a description of the proceedings and the actions of the court, original court of jurisdiction, dates of argument presentations, nature of the judgment, and the name of the justice who wrote the opinion. The docket for the October term, 1946, records Case No. 145, described above under the appeal papers, regarding Incorporation of the Most Worshipful Widows’ Sons Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Colored Masons of Pennsylvania (Plaintiffs) vs. Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Pennsylvania (Exceptants).
Minute Books, 1895-1951. (19 volumes) Arranged chronologically by date of session. Records of the daily activities of the Superior Court in the Eastern District. Information provided about court sessions includes dates and times the court convened and adjourned, names of justices present, listings of cases heard, and the judgments held. An example of the type of material found is the entry for Thursday, November 14, 1946 for Case No. 145, mentioned above in the appeal papers and the appearance dockets, concerning the "Colored Masons" with John F. Williams, appellant, and William T. Connor, appellee which was heard during October 1946 term.