Santa Cruz County Supervisors v. Santa Cruz Railroad Company was a case heard by the United States Supreme Court in 1884. The case involved a dispute between the Santa Cruz County Supervisors and the Santa Cruz Railroad Company over the right to use a certain portion of land. The Supervisors argued that the Railroad Company had no right to use the land, as it had not been granted permission by the county. The Railroad Company argued that it had the right to use the land, as it had been granted permission by the state. The Supreme Court ultimately sided with the Railroad Company, ruling that the state had the right to grant permission for the use of the land, and that the county did not have the authority to deny the Railroad Company's request. The Court also held that the Railroad Company had the right to use the land for its own purposes, and that the county could not interfere with the Railroad Company's use of the land. The Court also noted that the Railroad Company had been using the land for many years, and that the county had not taken any action to prevent the Railroad Company from using the land.

Justice Field delivered the dissenting opinion in this case, arguing that the Santa Cruz Railroad Company had a valid right to use and occupy their land for railroad purposes. He argued that it was not necessary for them to obtain permission from the county supervisors before they could do so, as long as they did not interfere with public roads or other public interests. Justice Field noted that while there may be some inconvenience caused by having a railroad running through an area, such inconveniences are outweighed by the benefits of having railroads available for transportation and commerce. Furthermore, he argued that if Congress had intended to require permission from local governments before constructing railroads on private lands then it would have included language in its legislation explicitly stating such requirements. As no such language exists in federal law, Justice Field concluded that requiring consent from local authorities is unnecessary and unconstitutional.