In the Shelby County Circuit Court, Lincoln represents plaintiff William Reader in the chancery case of Reader v. Williams, a dispute over a land transaction. Reader is suing William H. Williams to obtain the deed to 67.06 acres of land located in Fayette County. Lincoln files a replication for Reader. The attorneys present evidence, question witnesses, and argue their cases before Judge David Davis. Judge Davis rules in favor of Reader. Lincoln writes the judgment, in which Judge Davis orders Williams to convey the deed in question to Reader. Judge Davis swears in a jury to hear the arguments in the slander case of Mitchell et ux. v. Mitchell. Plaintiffs Elijah Mitchell and Missouri Mitchell are suing Lincoln's client, James Mitchell, for making disparaging remarks about Missouri Mitchell. The jury decides in favor of the plaintiffs and awards them $500. Elijah Mitchell and Missouri Mitchell immediately remit $400, and Judge Davis orders the defendant to pay the remaining $100 and all of the court costs which amount to $36.10. In the criminal case of People v. Noland et al., Judge Davis calls a jury to hear the attorneys' arguments. The jury finds eight of the eleven defendants guilty of participating in a riot. Judge Davis imposes fines ranging from $5 to $50 on the guilty defendants. Judge Davis divides the court costs of $58.95 among the eight guilty men, and he requires each man to file a bond to ensure payment of the fines and costs within five months. Replication, 27 May 1852, Reader v. Williams; Judgment, 27 May 1852, Reader v. Williams, both in Herndon-Weik Collection, Library of Congress, Washington, DC; Judgment, 27 May 1852, Mitchell et ux. v. Mitchell, Circuit Court Record D, 351-52; Order, 27 May 1852, People v. Noland et al., Circuit Court Record D, 348-50, both in Shelby County Circuit Court, Shelby County Courthouse, Shelbyville, IL.