The case of Ireland v. Woods, Police Commissioner of the City of New York in 1917 revolved around an issue concerning the First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and assembly. The plaintiff, Mr. Ireland, was a member of the Socialist Party who had been denied permission by Mr. Woods, the police commissioner at that time, to hold public meetings in New York City's streets during World War I due to concerns about potential anti-war sentiments being expressed which could incite violence or unrest among citizens amidst wartime conditions. The Supreme Court ruled against Mr. Ireland stating that his First Amendment rights were not violated as there was a clear and present danger posed by these proposed gatherings given their potentially inflammatory nature during such sensitive times for national security reasons.

The dissenting opinion in the case of Ireland v. Woods, Police Commissioner of the City of New York, 1917 argued that there was no violation of due process rights as claimed by the petitioner. The justice disagreed with the majority's interpretation and application of constitutional law to this particular situation. They believed that a police officer’s suspension without pay pending an investigation into alleged misconduct did not constitute deprivation without due process under Fourteenth Amendment protections. According to them, it is within a public employer's right to suspend an employee suspected of wrongdoing while conducting an inquiry or trial before final judgment is rendered on their employment status; such action does not infringe upon any constitutionally protected liberty or property interests held by said employee.