In the case of Barrington Anthony, Marshal of the United States v. Cyrus Butler, a dispute arose over whether or not an arrest warrant issued by a state court was valid in another state. The Supreme Court held that it was not and ruled against the plaintiff. This ruling established that states do not have authority to issue warrants for arrests outside their jurisdiction unless authorized by Congress or other federal law. Furthermore, this decision also set precedent for future cases involving interstate extradition laws and procedures as well as limits on states' power to enforce criminal justice across borders without congressional approval.

In the case of Barrington Anthony, Marshal of the United States v. Cyrus Butler, Justice McLean delivered a dissenting opinion in which he argued that Congress had no authority to pass laws regulating slavery and that any such law was unconstitutional. He further argued that even if Congress did have this power, it could not be used to authorize an action against a state citizen without their consent or due process of law. In addition, he asserted that the Fugitive Slave Act was too vague and indefinite for citizens to understand what actions were prohibited by it; thus making it impossible for them to comply with its provisions. Finally, Justice McLean concluded his dissent by stating that while there may be some instances where federal legislation is necessary regarding slavery issues between states, this particular act went beyond those limits and should therefore be declared void as being contrary to the Constitution.