Law Department, 1865-1983

The Law Department series (1865-1983) contains the files kept by the legal department in Los Angeles, California, which made all final decisions regarding legal matters for the Union Pacific and the Las Vegas Land & Water Company. The legal department reviewed all matters which had legal implications for the railroad at local, state, and federal level, and drafted and reviewed all legal documents and transactions, including contracts, claims, employee relations, rates, court cases and judgements, land acquisitions and sale, abstracts of title, station closings, state and federal legislation, filings and proof of construction, passes, patents, payroll, permits, bond issues, taxes, and uncollected accounts. They also reviewed anything affecting the railroad company’s water rights and water supply, as well as all matters that appeared before the Interstate Commerce Commission.