Evolving justice: The history of the Superior Court of San Bernardino County, California. A look at homicide, race, gender, justice, legal culture and administrative development, 1850--1930

This thesis examines how violent criminal cases involving minorities and women were administered by the Superior Court of San Bernardino County. Substantial attention is given to the developmental context of court structure and legal culture in which the cases were tried. I argue that minority cases were, like all cases, subjected to the legal, political, and economic resources of the county judicial administration and public sentiment. I build upon the work of Clare V. McKanna. His book, Homicide, Race and Justice in the American West, 1880--1920, explores a wealth of information available at the county level. It is my belief that by infusing quantitative data with the wealth of contextual information available in county records and local newspapers, a richer understanding of judicial relations, opinions, and actions is obtainable. Such a view adequately answers Lawrence Friedman's request for examination of American inferior courts as necessary to understanding the American judicial experience.