The U.S. Supreme Court case L.A. Westermann Company v. Dispatch Printing Company in 1918 revolved around a copyright dispute between the two parties involved. The plaintiff, L.A. Westermann Company, alleged that the defendant, Dispatch Printing Company had infringed on their copyright by reproducing and selling copies of a map that they held exclusive rights to without obtaining permission or providing compensation for its use. However, the court ruled in favor of Dispatch Printing Co., stating that there was no infringement as the maps were not identical and sufficient alterations had been made to differentiate them from each other - thus constituting an original work rather than a direct copy of Westermann's map.

The dissenting opinion in the case of L.A. Westermann Company v. Dispatch Printing Company argued that the majority's decision failed to adequately consider the nature and purpose of copyright law, which is intended to protect original works from unauthorized use or reproduction. The dissent contended that while a directory may not be considered an original work in terms of creativity or artistic expression, it still represents a significant investment of time and effort on part of its creator. Therefore, it should be entitled to protection under copyright law just like any other published work would be. Furthermore, they disagreed with the majority's interpretation regarding what constitutes 'fair use' within this context; arguing instead that any substantial copying without permission infringes upon copyright holder’s rights regardless if there was no intent for competition or profit-making involved.