[By this date, Lincoln likely left Springfield for Marshall, Illinois, in time for his May 4 court date in the Clark County Circuit Court. In a letter to Joshua F. Speed dated July 4, 1842, Lincoln writes that he was on the circuit "five or six weeks" in the spring. Abraham Lincoln to Joshua F. Speed, 4 July 1842, CW, 1:288-90.]

[The Circuit Court of Livingston County convenes at Pontiac; the session lasts one day.]

Lincoln participates in one case on the third day of the Clark County Circuit Court. In the debt case of January for use of Stettinius & January v. Archer, Lincoln represents Joseph Stettinius and Derrick A. January. The defendant William B. Archer defaults, and Judge William Wilson rules in favor of Stettinius & January for the amount of the debt plus damages, a total of $6,277.33.Judgment, 4 May 1842, January for use of Stettinius & January v. Archer, Circuit Court Record E, 287-88, Clark County Circuit Court, Clark County Courthouse, Marshall, IL.

[In the De Witt County Circuit Court an unknown representative requests a continuance on Lincoln's behalf in the case of Lincoln v. Turner & Turner. Lincoln is attempting to collect a $200 legal fee. The court continues the case on his motion.Order, 5 May 1842, Lincoln v. Turner & Turner, Chancery Record 1 A, 88, De Witt County Circuit Court, De Witt County Courthouse, Clinton, IL.]

Lincoln, for complainant in Peter v. Martin et al., moves continuance with leave for commissioner to execute decree.Record.

[The Champaign County Circuit Court begins a two-day session. Lincoln had represented the plaintiffs in Brownfield et al. v. Brownfield et al.; however, the court record indicates that Brown appears as the plaintiffs' attorney at this term.Decree, 9 May 1842, Brownfield et al. v. Brownfield et al., Circuit Court Record A, 50, Champaign County Circuit Court, Urbana Free Library, Urbana, IL.]

[Lincoln is either on his way to or in Paris, Illinois, to attend the Edgar County Circuit Court which has begun a six-day term.]

Lincoln participates in one case in the Edgar County Circuit Court. He represents defendant John Hunter in Nolan v. Hunter, a trespass suit. Lincoln writes and files a demurrer to the plaintiff's declaration, and the court takes the demurrer under advisement. Demurrer, 10 May 1842, Nolan v. Hunter, Lincoln Collection, University of Chicago Library, Department of Special Collections, Chicago, IL.

Lincoln participates in one case in the Edgar County Circuit Court. The court overrules the demurrer that Lincoln filed the previous day for his client John Hunter in Nolan v. Hunter. Lincoln files a not guilty plea for Hunter, and the jury listens as the attorneys for both sides present their arguments. Order, 11 May 1842, Nolan v. Hunter, Order Book 2, 169; Order, 11 May 1842, Nolan v. Hunter, Order Book 2, 180, both in Edgar County Circuit Court, Edgar County Courthouse, Paris, IL; Plea, 11 May 1842, Nolan v. Hunter, Lincoln Collection, University of Chicago Library, Department of Special Collections, Chicago, IL.

Lincoln participates in two cases in the Edgar County Circuit Court. In the case Nolan v. Hunter, the jury finds Lincoln's client John Hunter not guilty, and Judge Wilson orders plaintiff Samuel Nolan to pay the court costs. Lincoln and fellow attorney Justin Harlan file a plea for their client Elvis P. Shaw in Paine v. Shaw, a replevin case. Plaintiff Amasa R. Paine files a demurrer to the plea, and Judge Wilson overrules the demurrer. Judgment, 12 May 1842, Nolan v. Hunter, Order Book 2, 181; Plea, filed 12 May 1842, Paine v. Shaw, case file, box 10; Order, 12 May 1842, Paine v. Shaw, Order Book 2, 181, all in Edgar County Circuit Court, Edgar County Courthouse, Paris, IL.

Lincoln participates in one case in the Edgar County Circuit Court. Along with Garland B. Shelledy, Justin Harlan, and Usher F. Linder, Lincoln represents plaintiff John W. Barber in the debt case of People for use of Barber v. Stanfield et al. John Pearson, Josiah McRoberts, and Augustus C. French represent the defendants. Lincoln makes the closing argument for Barber before the jury retires to deliberate. Order, 13 May 1842, People for use of Barber v. Stanfield et al., Order Book 2, 191, Edgar County Circuit Court, Edgar County Courthouse, Paris, IL.

[A newspaper article reports that The Springfield Washington Temperance Society, to which Lincoln belongs, has 700 members. Sangamo Journal (Springfield, IL), 13 May 1842, 1:6; Illinois State Register (Springfield), 11 March 1842, 2:6.]

Lincoln participates in two cases on the final day of the Edgar County Circuit Court. Judge Wilson calls a jury to hear the arguments in the case of Paine v. Shaw, in which Lincoln and Justin Harlan represent defendant Elvis P. Shaw. Judge Wilson discharges the jury and continues the case until the next term. The jury in the case of People for use of Barber v. Stanfield et al. returns a verdict in favor of Lincoln's client John W. Barber, to whom the court awards $512.92 1/4 in damages plus the court costs. The defendants' attorneys request a new trial and file a bill of exceptions, which includes a case summary written by Lincoln. Order, 14 May 1842, Paine v. Shaw, Order Book 2, 200; Judgment, 14 May 1842, People for use or Barber v. Stanfield et al., Order Book 2, 195; Bill of Exceptions, 14 May 1842, People for use of Barber v. Stanfield et al., case file, box 9, all in Edgar County Circuit Court, Edgar County Courthouse, Paris, IL; Bill of Exceptions, 14 May 1842, Henry Horner Lincoln Collection, IHi, Springfield, IL.

Lincoln represents defendant William Fithian in Cunningham v. Fithian & Juneau and in McDonald v. Fithian & Juneau and asks the court to open the depositions filed in each case. The court grants Lincoln's requests.Decree, 16 May 1842, Cunningham v. Fithian & Juneau, Circuit Court Record B, 321; Decree 16 May 1842, McDonald v. Fithian & Juneau, Circuit Court Record B, 321, both in Vermilion County Circuit Court, Vermilion County Courthouse, Danville, IL.

In the debt case of Cast v. Vanmeter, Lincoln files a plea for his client Ambrose D. Vanmeter.Plea, 17 May 1842, Cast v. Vanmeter, Alfred Whital Stern Collection, Library of Congress, Washington DC.

Lincoln files answers for Elijah Williams, George Spurrier, Barnet Starr, John Williams, Samuel Williams Jr., John Jordan, and William Williams in A. Cameron & Company v. Williams et al., a chancery case. Lincoln also writes Elijah Williams's affidavit. The court continues the case to the next term. Separate Answer of Elijah Williams, filed 18 May 1842, A. Cameron & Company v. Williams et al.; Answer of Samuel J. Williams Jr. and John Williams, 18 May 1842, A. Cameron & Company v. Williams et al.; Answer of William Williams, 18 May 1842, A. Cameron & Company v. Williams et al.; Affidavit of Elijah Williams, 18 May 1842, A. Cameron & Company v. Williams et al., all in Alfred Whital Stern Collection, Library of Congress, Washington, DC; Separate Answer of John Jordan, Barnet Starr, and George Spurrier, filed 18 May 1842, A. Cameron & Company v. Williams et al., Lincoln Collection, Tokyo Lincoln Center, Meisei University, Tokyo, Japan.

Lincoln, along with attorneys John J. Brown and Joseph Peters, represents Vermilion County sheriff Samuel Frazier Jr., in Wilson v. Frazier. The attorneys for plaintiff John M. Wilson file an affidavit regarding the absence of a material witness and ask the court to continue the case. The court continues the case until the next term. Order, 19 May 1842, Wilson v. Frazier, Circuit Court Record B, 345, Vermilion County Circuit Court, Vermilion County Courthouse, Danville, IL.

Lincoln attends court to watch the proceedings in the case of Frazier and Frazier v. Payne and Alexander. In the debt case of Fithian v. Walker, Lincoln represents plaintiff William Fithian. Lincoln and defendant Isaac P. Walker reach an agreement and file it with the court. The agreement requires Walker to pay Fithian $100 and the court costs but allows Walker six months to pay the remainder of his debt to Fithian. Neither Lincoln nor his client Ambrose D. Vanmeter appear when the court calls the case of Cast v. Vanmeter. The court rules in favor of the plaintiff and orders Vanmeter to pay the debt of $804, the court costs, and $87.10 in damages. H. W. Beckwith, History of Vermilion County (Chicago: H. H. Hill, 1879; reprint, Evansville, IN: Unigraphic, 1975), 614-15; Judgment, 20 May 1842, Fithian v. Walker, Circuit Court Record B, 355-56; Order, 20 May 1842, Cast v. Vanmeter, Circuit Court Record B, 357, both in Vermilion County Circuit Court, Vermilion County Courthouse, Danville, IL.

On the final day of the Vermilion County Circuit Court, Lincoln represents defendant William Fithian in two cases. In Cunningham v. Fithian & Juneau, Lincoln writes a decree and files it with the court. In the case of McDonald v. Fithian & Juneau, the plaintiff files an affidavit. The court continues both cases to the next term.Decree, 21 May 1842, Cunningham v. Fithian & Juneau, copy files, Henry Horner Lincoln Collection, IHi, Springfield, IL; Decree, 21 May 1842, McDonald v. Fithian & Juneau, Circuit Court Record B, 364, Vermilion County Circuit Court, Vermilion County Courthouse, Danville, IL.

[Someone purchases $2 worth of merchandise from a Springfield store and charges it to Abraham Lincoln's account . Account of Abraham Lincoln (copy), 21 May 1842, Irwin & Corneau Account Book, 252, microfilm, IHi, Springfield, IL.]

Judge William Wilson opens the Coles County Circuit Court with approximately 240 cases on the docket. During the six-day term, Lincoln participates in seven of those cases. Orders and Decrees, 23-28 May 1842, Court Record 1, 408-88 passim, Coles County Circuit Court, Coles County Courthouse, Charleston, IL.

In the Coles County Circuit Court, Lincoln represents defendant William Goodman in Ewing v. Goodman, an assault and battery suit. The parties reach an agreement, and the court dismisses the case and orders Goodman to pay the court costs. Lincoln files a plea for his clients Byrd Monroe and John M. Eastin in the debt case of Pearson & Anderson v. Monroe & Eastin. In People v. Patterson, Lincoln requests a continuance and files an affidavit for his client Allen Patterson indicted for assault with intent to murder. The court grants a continuance until the next term. Order, 24 May 1842, Ewing v. Goodman, Court Record 1, 414, Coles County Circuit Court, Coles County Courthouse; Plea, filed 24 May 1842, Pearson & Anderson v. Monroe & Eastin, Herndon-Weik Collection, Library of Congress, Washington, DC; Affidavit, 24 May 1842, People v. Patterson, Coles County Circuit Court, Illinois State Archives, Springfield, IL; Order, 24 May 1842, People v. Patterson, Court Record 1, 409, Coles County Circuit Court, Coles County Courthouse, Charleston, IL.

In the Coles County Circuit Court case of Patterson v. Winkler, Lincoln writes a bond, and his client Young E. Winkler and Winkler's surety sign the bond in court. Winkler, who was not married to plaintiff Anne Patterson, had earlier admitted to the court that he was the father of her child. In the bond, Winkler agrees to pay Patterson support for the maintenance of the child. Bond, 25 May 1842, Herndon-Weik Collection, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

In the Coles County Circuit Court, Lincoln represents William B. White in Moore v. White. The plaintiff James V. Moore asks the court to continue the case until the next term, and the court grants the continuance. At Lincoln's request, the court orders Moore to provide a bond for costs. Order, 26 May 1842, Moore v. White, Court Record 1, 430, Coles County Circuit Court, Coles County Courthouse, Charleston, IL.

In the Coles County Circuit Court, Lincoln represents defendants Byrd Monroe and John M. Eastin in Pearson & Anderson v. Monroe & Eastin, a debt case. The court hears the evidence as presented by the parties, takes the matter into consideration, and continues the suit until the next term. Order, 27 May 1842, Court Record 1, 454, Coles County Circuit Court, Coles County Courthouse, Charleston, IL.

On the final day of the Coles County Circuit Court, Lincoln represents plaintiff John Morris in Morris for use of R. & E. W. Taylor & Company v. Jones et al. The parties agree to proceed without a jury and to allow Judge William Wilson to make the final judgment. After the attorneys present the evidence and argue their case before the court, Judge Wilson rules for Morris and orders Jones and others to pay $290.40 and the court costs. In the slander case of Turney v. Craig, Lincoln represents plaintiff Benjamin D. Turney. Usher F. Linder, the attorney for defendant Archalaus Craig, asks the court to continue the case until the next term; the court grants Linder's request.Judgment, 28 May 1842, Morris for use of R. & E. W. Taylor & Company v. Jones et al., Court Record 1, 468; Order, 28 May 1842, Turney v. Craig, Court Record 1, 466, both in Coles County Circuit Court, Coles County Courthouse, Charleston, IL.

Logan & Lincoln publish a notice regarding the case of A. Harper & Company v. J. Varian & Company. The notice informs the defendants that they are to appear at the July term of the Sangamon County Circuit Court. Logan & Lincoln represent the plaintiffs who seek to recover $1,500 from the defendants. Sangamo Journal (Springfield, IL), 3 June 1842, 3:2.