John Clifton, the claimant of the brig Water Witch, her tackle and other items, appealed a decision made by William H. Sheldon in court. The case revolved around whether or not John Clifton had a valid claim to ownership of the brig Water Witch and its contents. In order for him to have such rights he would need to prove that his possession was rightful under maritime law as well as demonstrate that he had taken all necessary steps required by admiralty courts when making claims on vessels at sea. After reviewing both sides' arguments it was determined that John Clifton did not meet these requirements and therefore could not be granted ownership over the vessel or its contents; thus upholding William H. Sheldon's original ruling against him in court.

In the dissenting opinion of John Clifton, Claimant of the Brig Water Witch, Her Tackle, &c., v. William H. Sheldon, Justice Grier argued that a vessel owner should not be held liable for damages caused by an independent contractor hired to repair and refit his ship. He reasoned that since it was common practice in maritime law to hire contractors for such work and there was no evidence showing negligence on behalf of the vessel's owner or any breach of duty owed to those injured by the contractor’s actions, then he should not be held responsible for their losses. Furthermore, Grier noted that if liability were imposed upon owners in this situation it would discourage them from hiring competent contractors who could provide quality services at reasonable prices due to fear of potential legal action against them if something went wrong during repairs or refitting operations. Therefore he concluded that under these circumstances Clifton should not have been found liable as a matter of law and thus reversed his conviction accordingly