Virginia. Circuit Court.

The bonds, commissions, oaths records group encompasses a broad category of non-fiduciary records concerning the performance of a certain task or office. In order to insure that public offices were properly filled and the responsibilities properly performed, bonds were required of the officials. This involved pledging a certain set sum of money that would be payable by the officeholder and/or his securities if he failed to fulfill his job related duties. In addition to elected officials, there were also individuals appointed as commissioners. In addition to putting up a bond, the individuals had to take an oath promising to properly serve in the office to which they had been appointed or elected. The selection process for officeholders varied between elective and appointive throughout the history of the state and depending on the office. There are also bonds for non-public offices [i.e. ordination] and for being employed in certain professions or operating certain public institutions [i.e. ordinaries]. These are to ensure that private individuals, performing public, but not official, functions, do the job in a responsible manner.

There are also a number of bonds involving various actions in court suits. When these bonds have been kept separately from the papers in a suit, they are filed in this category. The types of records found in this series include appointments, apprentice indentures, attachement bonds, bail bonds, bond books, certificates of ordination, commissions, declaration bonds, delivery bonds, forthcoming bonds, injunction bonds, lists of licenses, nominations, oaths (amnesty and of office), officials's bonds, ordinary bonds, replevy/replevin bonds, and stay bonds.