Buck v. Colbath was a Supreme Court case that dealt with the issue of slavery in the United States. The plaintiff, Buck, argued that he had been illegally sold into slavery by his former master and sought to be declared free from bondage. The defendant, Colbath, argued that under Virginia law at the time Buck's sale was legal and therefore he should remain enslaved. In its ruling on this case, the Supreme Court held that since Congress had abolished slavery in Washington D.C., where Buck resided when he was sold into servitude, it could not be legally enforced there and thus ruled in favor of Buck declaring him free from enslavement. This decision set an important precedent for future cases involving similar issues as it established a clear distinction between states which allowed or prohibited slavery within their borders during this period of American history

In Buck v. Colbath, the Supreme Court was asked to decide whether a Virginia statute that allowed slave owners to emancipate their slaves without court approval was constitutional. The majority of justices held that it was not, as they believed Congress had exclusive authority over emancipation under the Thirteenth Amendment and any state laws on this matter were therefore unconstitutional. Justice Field dissented from this opinion, arguing that while Congress did have power over slavery and emancipation in territories or other federal lands, states retained their own powers when it came to matters within their borders. He argued further that since the Thirteenth Amendment only prohibited involuntary servitude and made no mention of voluntary manumission (the act of freeing one's own slaves), then Virginia should be able to pass such legislation if its citizens so desired.