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The Law Department represents the City in all legal matters and litigation, provides legal advice and opinions to City departments and agencies, and is responsible for prosecuting violations of City ordinances in Municipal Court. The position of City Attorney was established in 1875. The 1890 City Charter created the Law Department headed by the Corporation Counsel. The title was changed to City Attorney in 1977. Seattle has been served by fifteen Corporation Counsels/City Attorneys since 1890 including A.C. Van Soelen (1930-1963) who held the position for 33 years.
Annual reports detailing departmental activities including a recapitulation of cases, claims, condemnations, and legal opinions.
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Correspondence to the Corporation Counsel requesting legal opinions and advice, information requests, and responses to Law Department requests for information regarding claims against City departments. Includes correspondence to George Donworth, W. T. Scott, John K. Brown, W. E. Humphrey, Mitchell Gilliam, and Scott Calhoun.
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Correspondence to and from the City Attorney. Includes requests from City agencies for legal opinions and advice.
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Folder List
Correspondence, memoranda, and reports relating to city legal actions and law enforcement projects. Major topics include family violence, Ross Dam, and Washington Public Power Supply System.
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Opinions issued by the City Attorney at the request of various City officials regarding public utility issues. Included are Seattle's water system, refuse disposal, electricity, and the street railway and transit systems.
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Records of closed cases involving the City relating to real property title; validity of an ordinance, law or bond issue; personal injury or property damage cases involving more than 100,000 dollars payment; and cases appealed to an appellate court. Includes briefs, pleadings, judgments, and correspondence. Early cases are arranged by closed case number; more recent cases are arranged by an alpha/numeric file code.
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Box List
Correspondence, memoranda, reports, specifications, contracts, newspaper clippings, and superior court documents relating to the joint State-County-City lawsuit against the American League following the departure of the Seattle Pilots at the end of the 1969 baseball season. Includes extensive materials relating to the remodeling and evaluation of Sick's Stadium and planning for a multi-purpose domed stadium.
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Correspondence, memoranda, court documents, and exhibits relating to the liquid asphalt anti-trust suit against the Chevron Asphalt Company. The City was a party to the suit that was filed by the State of Washington.
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Correspondence, judgment on verdicts, petitions, appraisals, court orders, motions, and draft legislation relating to the condemnation of land in the Cedar River Watershed for pipeline right-of-ways and creation of a reservoir.
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Correspondence, memoranda, legislation, and court documents relating to the condemnation of property in the Skagit River area for use in power and water supply development.
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Container List
Maps, abstracts of City of Seattle and King County resolutions, copies of deeds, ordinances, and notes regarding the title to the Sand Point Naval Station property. Includes "Report to the King County Council on County Interests in the Sand Point Properties" prepared by the King County Prosecutor.
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4410-01
Deposition Transcripts (WPPSS Case)
1985-1987
180.0 cubic feet
Verbatim transcripts of witness depositions taken in the Washington Public Power Supply System lawsuit. The City hired Foster, Pepper and Shefelman to handle the lawsuit in concert with the City Attorney. Arranged alphabetically.
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Box List
Transcripts of depositions given by expert witnesses in the Washington Public Power Supply System lawsuit. Also includes exhibits. Arranged alphabetically.
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Box List
Summaries of depositions taken in the Washington Public Power Supply System lawsuit. Includes summaries of attorney's notes and two boxes of unfiled summaries. Arranged alphabetically.
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Box List