The U.S. Supreme Court case Illinois Central Railroad Company v. Adams in 1900 revolved around a dispute over the liability of railroad companies for injuries sustained by their employees while on duty. The plaintiff, Adams, was an employee of the Illinois Central Railroad Company who got injured during his work due to alleged negligence on part of another employee and sued for damages. The company argued that they were not liable as per "fellow servant rule", which states that an employer is not responsible if one worker injures another at work unless there's proven negligence from the employer itself or someone in managerial position. However, this principle had been modified by a statute in Tennessee (where the incident occurred), making employers liable for any injury caused due to negligence of co-workers performing duties entrusted upon them by their common employer. The court ruled against Illinois Central Railroad Company stating that since it operated under its charter granted by Tennessee state law, it must abide with all laws including those related to workers' compensation and safety regulations within Tennessee jurisdiction even though such rules might differ from federal ones or those applicable elsewhere.

The dissenting opinion in the case of Illinois Central Railroad Company v. Adams argued that the majority's decision to uphold a state law requiring railroads to provide equal accommodations for all passengers, regardless of race, was an overreach of judicial power. The dissent contended that such matters should be left to individual states and their legislatures rather than being decided by federal courts. They believed this ruling violated principles of federalism and states' rights, as it imposed a uniform standard on all railroads across the country without considering local conditions or preferences. Furthermore, they expressed concern about potential unintended consequences from forcing integration in public spaces against prevailing social norms at the time.