The Supreme Court case of Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Company v. Hopkins was a case that was heard in 1892. The case involved a dispute between the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Company and a passenger, William Hopkins. Hopkins had been injured while riding on the railroad and he sued the company for damages. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Hopkins, finding that the railroad company was liable for his injuries. The Court held that the company had a duty to provide a safe and comfortable ride for its passengers and that it had failed to do so. The Court also held that the company was liable for any injuries that occurred as a result of its negligence. The Court's decision in this case established the principle that a railroad company is responsible for the safety of its passengers and must take reasonable steps to ensure that they are not injured while riding on its trains. This decision has been cited in numerous cases since then and has been used to establish the legal principle of negligence.

In the dissenting opinion of Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Company v. Hopkins, Justice Field argued that the majority's decision was wrongfully based on a misinterpretation of the law. He believed that under common law, an employer is not liable for injuries caused to employees due to negligence unless it can be proven that they had knowledge or should have known about potential risks associated with their job duties. In this case, he argued there was no evidence presented by either party which showed any such knowledge or awareness on behalf of the railroad company regarding any potential danger posed by its operations in regards to employee safety. Therefore, he concluded that since there was no proof showing negligence on behalf of the defendant railroad company, then Hopkins' claim against them should have been dismissed as without merit and his damages denied accordingly.