Court of Oyer and Terminer (Record Group OAT)

Object Type: Folder
In Folder: Supreme Judicial Court (Record Group JU-SJC)

▲

Expand to show object metadata

The Court of Oyer and Terminer was established on 27 May 1692 by Governor William Phips in response to an outbreak of witchcraft accusations in and around the town of Salem. This court, under the leadership of Chief Magistrate William Stoughton, convened on 2 June 1692 and heard cases until 29 October 1692, with jurisdiction ultimately transferred to the Superior Court of Judicature in January 1693. Twenty individuals were executed as a result of the Salem Witch Trials, and five others died in jail. The decisions of this court have been reversed through PL 1711 private act no. 26, St 1957 c 145, St 2001 c 122, and 2021 Bill S.1016.

Record Details

Description: The Court of Oyer and Terminer was established on 27 May 1692 by Governor William Phips in response to an outbreak of witchcraft accusations in and around the town of Salem. This court, under the leadership of Chief Magistrate William Stoughton, convened on 2 June 1692 and heard cases until 29 October 1692, with jurisdiction ultimately transferred to the Superior Court of Judicature in January 1693. Twenty individuals were executed as a result of the Salem Witch Trials, and five others died in jail. The decisions of this court have been reversed through PL 1711 private act no. 26, St 1957 c 145, St 2001 c 122, and 2021 Bill S.1016.

Digital Origin: Digitized by Peabody Essex Museum.