In the Foster v. Mansfield, Coldwater and Lake Michigan Railroad Company case of 1892, the U.S Supreme Court ruled in favor of the defendant, Mansfield, Coldwater and Lake Michigan Railroad Company. The plaintiff, Foster had sued for damages after his land was flooded due to a dam built by the railroad company. However, he failed to provide sufficient evidence that directly linked his property damage to actions taken by the railroad company. The court held that while it is true that any alteration or diversion of water which destroys or impairs another's property is a violation of rights for which compensation must be made; yet such destruction or impairment must be proven as a direct result from said alterations/diversions before liability can be established against those who make them.

In the dissenting opinion for Foster v. Mansfield, Coldwater and Lake Michigan Railroad Company, it was argued that the majority's decision to uphold a lower court ruling in favor of the railroad company was incorrect. The dissenting justices believed that there were significant issues with how evidence had been handled during trial proceedings which could have potentially influenced its outcome unfairly. They also disagreed with the interpretation of certain laws related to land ownership and property rights used by both lower courts and their fellow Supreme Court Justices in reaching their decisions. Furthermore, they expressed concern about potential negative implications this case might have on future cases involving similar disputes between private citizens and corporations or other large entities.