In the case of Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Company v. Converse (1890), the U.S Supreme Court ruled in favor of the railroad company. The dispute arose when Converse claimed that he had suffered losses due to a breach of contract by the railroad company regarding transportation rates for his coal business. He argued that an oral agreement was made between him and an agent from the railroad company, which was later violated causing financial damage to his business. The court held that there wasn't sufficient evidence proving such a contract existed or was breached by the defendant. Furthermore, it stated that even if such a verbal agreement did exist, it would not be legally binding as per Interstate Commerce Act because all contracts related to interstate commerce must be in writing. This ruling reinforced legal principles concerning contractual obligations and their enforceability within interstate commerce context while also highlighting importance of written agreements over oral ones.

In the dissenting opinion for the case of Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Company v. Converse, it was argued that a railroad company should not be held liable for damages to goods transported by them if they were unaware of their value at the time of shipment. The dissenting justices believed that in order for a carrier to be responsible for full value, they must have been informed about it beforehand so as to take necessary precautions or charge accordingly. They contended that without this knowledge, carriers could potentially face unlimited liability which would be unfair and unjustifiable. Furthermore, they disagreed with majority's interpretation of common law principles regarding carrier liability arguing instead that these principles did not automatically make carriers insurers but rather imposed upon them an obligation only up until reasonable care and diligence.