Statute Consolidated Commission records

Series — Box: Statute Consolidated Commission 1949-1957

Identifier: 1997-89

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Rhode Island Statute Consolidated Commission records consist of a series of correspondence which illustrates the process of compiling and annotating a complete revision of the 1938 General Statutes. The bulk of the correspondence is to and from Maurice Hendel, the assistant in charge of Law Revision, Recipients include various publishers (notably Miche and Bobbs-Merrill), other Departments of State regarding their revisions, and other members of the Commission. Also includes a small amount of meeting minutes, a list of publishers, proposals and specifications, a contract and final report.

Dates

1949-1957

Language of Materials

English

Conditions Governing Access

No special restrictions unless otherwise specified.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright is in the public domain unless otherwise specified. We reserve the right to restrict reproduction of materials due to preservation concerns.

Biographical / Historical

The Rhode Island Statute Consolidated Commission was created by chapter 2768 of the 1951 public laws (formerly S-273, approved April 23, 1951) and was also known as the Digest Commission. Its purpose was to consolidate the general and public laws of the state as published in the 1938 Statutes and to include laws passed up to and including those of 1956 and annotations including all decisions up to January 1, 1957.

Members of the commission included the chief justices of the Supreme and Superior Courts (Edmund W. Flynn and Charles A. Walsh), the Secretary of State (Armand H. Cote), the State Librarian (Dr. Grace M. Sherwood), the assistant in charge of Law Revision (Maurice W. Hendel - also part of the Secretary of State's Office), the Supreme Court Reporter (Charles H. Drummey), and three active members of the Rhode Island Bar Association to be appointed by the Governor. The Commission issued a report at the end of this process which outlined specifications and recommendations for consideration in the publication of the 1956 enactment.

Extent

.10 Cubic Feet (5 folders)

Additional Description

Abstract

The Rhode Island Statute Consolidated Commission records consist of a series of correspondence spanning the years 1949 to 1957 which illustrates the process of compiling and annotating a complete revision of the 1938 General Statutes.

Arrangement

The Rhode Island Statute Consolidated Commission Records are arranged into the following series:

Series 1. Correspondence, 1949-1953, 1957

Series 2. Contract, 1954 and Final Report, c. 1956

Series 3. Proposals and Specifications, 1951