The U.S. Supreme Court case Mitchell, Secretary of Labor v. Kentucky Finance Co., Inc., et al. in 1958 revolved around the issue of whether or not a finance company that repossessed and sold cars was engaged in commerce under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The FLSA requires employers involved in interstate commerce to pay their employees minimum wage and overtime compensation. The court ruled that because Kentucky Finance Company's repossession activities affected interstate commerce, they were subject to the provisions of the FLSA even though their business operations were primarily intrastate. This decision expanded federal jurisdiction over labor standards by interpreting "commerce" broadly within the context of federal law.

In the dissenting opinion for Mitchell, Secretary of Labor v. Kentucky Finance Co., Inc., et al., Justice Whittaker disagreed with the majority's interpretation of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). He argued that Congress did not intend to include employees engaged in finance and credit activities within businesses primarily involved in selling goods or commodities under FLSA coverage. The majority's broad interpretation would mean virtually all employees are covered by FLSA, which he believed was inconsistent with Congressional intent. Furthermore, he contended that there is a clear distinction between "goods" and "credit," as evidenced by their separate regulation under different federal agencies - one dealing with commerce and labor matters while another deals specifically with financial transactions. Hence, according to him, it was incorrect to classify credit as a good or commodity subject to FLSA provisions.