| Sumario: | This article examines the responses of Virginia’s county courts to the expiration of the Fee Bill in April 1774 amid rising revolutionary tensions, focusing on how legal and economic pressures influenced court operations during that summer of uncertainty. While George and Thomson Mason advocated for a political protest involving the closure of courts to halt civil litigation and debt enforcement, this proposal found little support among other Virginians, who recognized that shutting courts would devastate the colony’s economy. Despite fears expressed by the Council of Virginia and rumors of widespread court closures, most county courts continued to operate, often using the expired fee schedule or suspending fees temporarily, and selectively enforcing credit contracts through judgments, special bail, and other legal procedures. These judicial actions signaled a commitment to uphold contractual obligations, reassuring merchants and creditors and sustaining economic stability even as political conflict escalated. The article concludes that the Fee Bill crisis was a significant but misunderstood episode that influenced political developments—such as prompting new elections and enhancing the legitimacy of the 1774 Virginia Convention—while county courts pragmatically balanced revolutionary pressures with their essential economic role.
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