Cook v. Pennsylvania is a United States Supreme Court case that was decided in 1878. The case involved a dispute between the state of Pennsylvania and the Cook family over the ownership of a piece of land. The Cooks had purchased the land from the state in 1845, but the state later attempted to reclaim the land, claiming that the Cooks had not paid the full purchase price. The Cooks argued that they had paid the full amount and that the state had no right to reclaim the land. The Supreme Court ultimately sided with the Cooks, ruling that the state had no right to reclaim the land. The Court held that the Cooks had paid the full purchase price and that the state had no legal basis to reclaim the land. The Court also held that the state had violated the Cooks' constitutional rights by attempting to take the land without due process. This decision established the principle that the government cannot take private property without due process of law.

Justice Field delivered the dissenting opinion in Cook v. Pennsylvania, arguing that the state of Pennsylvania had no right to impose a tax on an individual's property without their consent. He argued that this was a violation of the Fourteenth Amendment and infringed upon individuals' rights to own private property as protected by the Fifth Amendment. Justice Field further argued that if states were allowed to levy taxes on citizens without their permission, it would lead to arbitrary taxation and could be used as a form of punishment or retaliation against certain groups or individuals for political reasons. He concluded his dissent by stating that such actions should not be tolerated in any civilized society and must be prevented from occurring in order for citizens' constitutional rights to remain secure.