In Coffey v. United States, the Supreme Court considered the constitutionality of a federal statute that allowed the government to seize and sell a vessel and its cargo without a jury trial. The petitioner, Coffey, argued that the statute violated the Fifth Amendment's guarantee of a jury trial in criminal cases. The Supreme Court held that the statute was constitutional. The Court reasoned that the statute did not involve a criminal prosecution, but rather a civil action to recover a debt. The Court noted that the Fifth Amendment only applies to criminal cases, and thus the statute did not violate the Fifth Amendment. The Court also noted that the statute provided for a hearing before a judge, which was sufficient to protect the petitioner's rights. In conclusion, the Supreme Court held that the statute was constitutional and did not violate the Fifth Amendment's guarantee of a jury trial in criminal cases. The Court noted that the statute provided for a hearing before a judge, which was sufficient to protect the petitioner's rights.

Justice Field delivered the dissenting opinion in Coffey v. United States, arguing that the majority's decision was contrary to established precedent and would lead to an unjust result. He argued that Congress had no authority under the Constitution to pass a law allowing for criminal prosecution of a person who has already been acquitted by a court of competent jurisdiction on charges arising from the same facts as those alleged in this case. Furthermore, he noted that there is no provision in either federal or state constitutions which allows for such double jeopardy proceedings against individuals who have already been found not guilty by one tribunal. Justice Field concluded his dissent with an assertion that if Congress were allowed to pass laws permitting such prosecutions, it would be tantamount to establishing "a new system of jurisprudence" which could potentially undermine fundamental principles of justice and due process enshrined within our legal system since its inception.