Ex Parte in the Matter of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is a Supreme Court case that involves Beriah Magoffin, Governor and Executive Authority thereof, as petitioner against William Dennison, Governor and Executive Authority of Ohio. The dispute between these two states arose from an alleged violation by Ohio officials of certain rights belonging to citizens residing within Kentucky's boundaries. In particular, it was claimed that Ohio had unlawfully seized property located in Kentucky without due process or proper authority. The Supreme Court ultimately ruled in favor of Magoffin and held that the actions taken by Dennison were indeed unlawful under both federal law and state constitutions. This ruling established important precedents for future cases involving disputes between states over matters such as taxation or other forms of regulation affecting interstate commerce.

In Ex Parte, the dissenting opinion argued that the petitioner had no right to bring a suit against another state. The majority of justices held that it was within their power to do so under Article III of the Constitution. However, Justice Nelson dissented and argued that this case should not be heard by the Supreme Court because it did not involve any federal question or controversy between two states. He further stated that if such a dispute were to arise in future cases, then it would be appropriate for Congress to intervene and settle such matters through legislation rather than judicial action. Furthermore, he maintained that allowing suits between states would lead to an increase in litigation which could potentially disrupt interstate commerce and relations among states. Ultimately, Justice Nelson concluded his dissent by stating his belief that only Congress has authority over disputes between two or more sovereigns as outlined in Article IV of the Constitution.