A STUDY IN LEGAL ADMINISTRATION AND RECORDS SHARON ...

Digits are "squeezed in" as though they were added at a later date. The highest
old case number inserted in this manner is that of John G. Barber, 394.
Cornparison with registers of pleadings shows that this case was filed July 16,
1880. Evidently the compiler of the index decided to separate infants' cases
only up until that case numberldate, and leave the remainder in the main body of
the index. Since a significant proportion of infantsJ cases passed through the
court during 1879-80 that would seem a logical decision-
The time of reinsertion of the old numbers is still a question, however.
Separated infants' cases belonging to alphabet letter 'F" have a unique notation
at the end. In red ink there is penned what appears to be the date, "1904." This
could indicate that the ironical "renumbering of the renumbering" occurred as
late as 1904. Possibly there was a realization that the first renumbering had not
achieved the anticipated efficiencies, or perhaps circumstances, such as the
necessity for easy access to the case files, had changed.
Examination of printers' marks can also provide information about
creation of registers of pleadings. The first register has a different appearance
from the others. It is a larger volume, there is no index, and the entries are not
as detailed as those of registers two to seven. The stationers' label, inside front
cover, indicates that the register was purchased from Hunter, Rose 8 Co.,
Toronto, August 9, 1875. This was nearly three years after Queen's Bench in
Equity heard its first case. Therefore, pleadings in Equity up until that time must
have been kept in a different volume, or simply in case files, and transferred to