The legal disputes series is largely composed of reference files of newspaper clippings dating from 1947-1976, as well as some legal documents. Over the course of Howard Hughes’ life he and his companies were involved in a large number of legal disputes, investigations, and hearings. This series contains material on Hughes appearance before the Senate Hearings of 1947, the political fight to build Dodger stadium in Chavez Ravine (Los Angeles, California) in the mid-1950s, the Oil Lease Probe of 1957, Hughes’ fight for control of TWA and Air West, and Clifford Irving and his publisher McGraw-Hill. A number of smaller legal disputes are also documented. Several of these involved trusted aides such as Noah Dietrich, John Meier, and Robert Mahue. However, it should be noted that legal disputes, investigations, and hearings related to RKO and HUAC are included in Series V.

The Scarface sub-series (1930-1963) is comprised of materials pertaining to the production process and censorship issues of The Caddo Company's April 9, 1932 release of Scarface, also known as Scarface: The Shame of the Nation. The materials in this sub-series consist of administrative, advertising and publicity, distribution, editing, legal, and production and direction, and story development records. Types of materials include newspaper clipping bound volumes, correspondence, forewards, contracts, and reports. Also included are black-and-white photographic prints and negatives depicting the film during its production, sets, director activities, and profile images of the principal and supporting cast used for publicity.

Scarface is based on Armitage Trail's novel of the same name. The film, loosely based on Al Capone, faced a censorship battle that Howard Hughes employed in the film's promotion.