Converted to EAD3 : Encoded Archival Description (EAD), Version 3 : Release: 1.1.1 : Release Date: 2019-12-16. Validating against latest version of schema.
Contact information: https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/mss.contact
Catalog Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/mm93081883
Collection material in English
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the LC Catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically.
The papers of John J. Sirica, lawyer and judge, were given to the Library of Congress by his wife, Lucile C. Sirica, in 1993. Additional items were purchased by the Library of Congress in 2019.
The papers of John J. Sirica were arranged and described by Connie L. Cartledge with the assistance of Sherralyn McCoy in 2001. The 2021 Addition was processed and the finding aid revised in 2021 by Rachel Telford.
A description of the John J. Sirica Papers appears in
Items have been transferred from the Manuscript Division to other custodial divisions of
the Library. Sound and video recordings have been transferred to the Motion Picture,
Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division, including several tapes of the court
proceedings of the Watergate case,
Copyright in the unpublished writings of John J. Sirica in these papers and in other collections in the custody of the Library of Congress is controlled by Lucile Sirica.
The papers of John J. Sirica are open to research. Researchers are advised to contact the Manuscript Reading Room prior to visiting. Many collections are stored off-site and advance notice is needed to retrieve these items for research use.
Government regulations control the use of classified material in this collection. Manuscript Division staff can furnish further information concerning access to and use of classified items.
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: Container number, John J. Sirica Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
The papers of
The Correspondence series,
1957-1986, includes incoming and outgoing correspondence relating mostly to Sirica's
personal interests and activities, although some of the letters also pertain to his
professional career. Also included are a few letters from Sirica to his son,
Documenting Sirica's thirty years of service as a federal trial judge, papers in the United States District Court File , 1952-1986, comprise almost seventy-five percent of the collection. The District Court File consists of five subseries: Personal Case Calendars , Correspondence , Case File , Bench Books , and Office File. The Personal Case Calendars , 1967-1970, and Correspondence , 1968-1985, document some of the administrative functions of the court and Sirica's professional duties. The case calendars occasionally have notations about personal appointments.
The Case File subseries,
1952-1986, includes correspondence and memoranda, chiefly between Sirica and other
judges, lawyers, the court clerk, and staff, as well as extensive legal material such as
opinions, orders, motions, briefs, and transcripts. Papers in this subseries consist
mainly of photocopies rather than original items and are organized by category into
Watergate cases and other cases. Making up the bulk of the case files, the Watergate
files provide extensive documentation of the court proceedings relating to the 1972
break-in at the
The remaining case files indicate the variety of cases heard by Sirica on antitrust
matters, constitutional law, civil rights, government regulations, and other issues.
Many of these files are incomplete and often contain only one or two items, except for
two antitrust cases (electrical equipment cases and
The final two subseries of the United States District Court File consist of Bench Books and an Office File. The Bench Book subseries, 1957-1983, contains Sirica's notes about the cases which came before his court. The Office File subseries, 1954-1986, relates to Sirica's administrative and professional duties. This subseries also documents some of the many awards and honors Sirica received throughout his career.
Papers in the Speeches and Writings File , 1949-1986, pertain mainly to Sirica's book on Watergate,
The Miscellany series,
1932-1985, consists chiefly of material documenting Sirica's private legal practice and
his service as general counsel, 1944, to the
Among the more significant and frequent of Sirica's correspondents are
The 2021 Addition, 1973-1978, consists of diaries kept by Sirica containing daily entries and observations, largely relating to the Watergate Affair. Also included is a copy of President Richard M. Nixon's memoir, lightly annotated by Sirica.
The collection is arranged in six series:
Correspondence and memoranda, including attachments and enclosures, between Sirica and family, friends, lawyers, judges, acquaintances, and the general public.
Arranged alphabetically by name of person or subject and therein chronologically by date.
Calendars maintained by Sirica's staff documenting the day-to-day business of Sirica's court and his other administrative duties.
Arranged chronologically by year.
Correspondence and memoranda between Sirica and lawyers, judges, court staff, and the general public relating to his activities as a federal district judge.
Arranged alphabetically by name of person or subject and therein chronologically.
Correspondence, memoranda, bench books, opinions, orders, briefs, motions, transcripts, dockets, stipulations, interrogatories, reports, notes, lists, printed matter, and other legal papers pertaining to Sirica's professional activities. A systematic sample was taken of the Watergate public correspondence; fifteen percent of that correspondence was retained.
Arranged by category into Watergate cases and other cases. The former is arranged alphabetically by type of material, and the latter alphabetically by case title.
Bound volumes containing Sirica's notes about cases that came before his court.
Arranged chronologically.
Correspondence, memoranda, background information, invitations, jury instructions, notes, and printed matter.
Arranged alphabetically by name of person or organization, subject, or type of material.
Correspondence, memoranda, speeches, research material, book drafts, book reviews, articles, notes, financial and legal papers, and printed matter relating chiefly to Sirica's post-Watergate speeches and writings.
Filed in two categories: speeches that are arranged chronologically and writings arranged alphabetically.
Correspondence, memoranda, case files, family papers, financial and legal papers, background information, and printed matter relating primarily to Sirica's early career as a lawyer.
Arranged alphabetically by name of person, topic, or type of material.
Diaries containing daily entries and general observations, largely relating to the Watergate Affair. Topics covered include court proceedings, jury selection, planning for deposition of President Richard M. Nixon, sentencing, autobiography drafts and notes, meetings and events, and Nixon's televised interview with David Frost. Also included is a lightly annotated copy of Nixon's memoir.
Arranged alphabetically by type of material.
Government classified documents containing sensitive security information.
Correspondence, memoranda, and transcripts organized and described according to the series, boxes, and folders from which the items were removed.