In the case of Harris Truck Lines, Inc. v. Cherry Meat Packers, Inc., 1962, the U.S Supreme Court ruled in favor of Harris Truck Lines on a procedural issue related to bankruptcy proceedings. The dispute arose when Cherry Meat Packers filed for bankruptcy and sought to recover payments made to Harris as preferential transfers under Section 60(a) of the Bankruptcy Act. The District Court initially ruled in favor of Cherry Meat Packers but was reversed by the Circuit Court due to an untimely appeal by Cherry Meats from a referee's order denying their reclamation petition. However, upon reaching the Supreme Court it held that since there was no final decision from which an appeal could be taken until after disposition of all matters involved in bankruptcy proceeding including claims against third parties like Harris Trucks; therefore, it wasn't late for filing an appeal and remanded back for further proceedings.

In the dissenting opinion for Harris Truck Lines, Inc., v. Cherry Meat Packers, Inc., Justice Harlan argued that the Court had overstepped its bounds by intervening in a matter of state law. He contended that it was not within the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court to decide whether or not an Illinois court should have granted relief from a default judgment due to "excusable neglect." According to him, this issue fell under procedural matters governed by state laws and did not raise any substantial federal question warranting intervention by the Supreme Court. Therefore, he disagreed with his colleagues' decision to reverse and remand the case back to lower courts for further proceedings.