The US Supreme Court case Bien v. Robinson, Receiver of Haight & Freese Company in 1907 revolved around a dispute over the payment of promissory notes. The plaintiff, Bien, was seeking to recover from the defendant (Robinson), who was acting as receiver for Haight & Freese Company - a corporation that had gone into receivership due to insolvency. The key issue at hand was whether or not these notes were payable out of trust funds held by the insolvent company on behalf of third parties and if they should be considered preferential payments ahead of other creditors' claims against the same assets. The court ruled in favor of Robinson, stating that such promissory notes did not have priority status and could not be paid before satisfying all other debts owed by the insolvent company.

In the dissenting opinion for Bien v. Robinson, it was argued that the court majority had erred in its interpretation of bankruptcy law and its application to this case. The dissenting justices believed that a receiver should not be allowed to take possession of property from an insolvent debtor without first obtaining permission from a bankruptcy court. They contended that such action would undermine the authority and jurisdiction of federal courts over matters related to bankruptcy proceedings, which could potentially lead to chaotic outcomes as various state courts might interpret insolvency laws differently. Furthermore, they asserted that allowing receiverships without prior approval by a federal judge would violate due process rights because it deprives individuals or corporations facing financial difficulties their right to fair hearing before their assets are seized or sold off by creditors.