In the case of Louisville & Nashville Railroad Company v. Chatters (1928), the United States Supreme Court ruled in favor of the railroad company, reversing a decision by the Florida Supreme Court. The dispute arose when Mrs. Chatters was injured while attempting to board a moving train operated by Louisville & Nashville Railroad Company and subsequently sued for damages. The Florida court had initially found in her favor, ruling that under state law, it was negligent for trains to start moving before passengers had safely boarded or alighted from them. However, upon appeal to the U.S Supreme Court, this judgment was reversed on grounds that federal laws governing interstate commerce superseded state regulations regarding passenger safety on railroads engaged in such commerce. Therefore, as long as there were no violations of federal safety standards - which did not prohibit starting trains before all passengers have boarded or disembarked - then no negligence could be attributed to the railroad company under these circumstances.

In the dissenting opinion for Louisville & Nashville Railroad Company v. Chatters, Justice Stone argued that the majority's decision was inconsistent with previous rulings of the court and violated principles of federalism. He contended that it was not within the purview of a federal court to interpret state law in such a way as to nullify or impair its effect, especially when there is no clear conflict between state and federal laws. In this case, he believed that Alabama’s wrongful death statute should have been applied without interference from federal courts because there was no direct conflict with any act of Congress nor did it infrive upon any right secured by Constitution. Therefore, he disagreed with majority's view which held railroad company liable under Federal Employers' Liability Act (FELA) instead of applying Alabama’s wrongful death statute.