The U.S. Supreme Court case New Jersey et al. v. New York, Susquehanna & Western Railroad Co., 1962 involved a dispute over the interpretation of an interstate compact between New Jersey and New York regarding jurisdiction over Ellis Island, which was used by the railroad company for its operations. The court ruled in favor of New Jersey, holding that while the original compact gave both states concurrent jurisdiction over Ellis Island, subsequent agreements had effectively ceded most control to New Jersey except for a small portion retained by New York where existing structures were located at the time of agreement's signing in 1834. Therefore, any expansion or new construction on Ellis Island fell under exclusive jurisdiction of NJ law unless it occurred within NY’s retained area.

In the dissenting opinion for New Jersey et al. v. New York, Susquehanna & Western Railroad Co., Justice Harlan argued that the majority's decision was based on a misinterpretation of both federal law and precedent regarding interstate commerce regulation. He contended that Congress had not intended to give states such broad power over interstate railroads when it passed the Interstate Commerce Act, as evidenced by its specific provisions limiting state authority in certain areas. Furthermore, he pointed out that previous Supreme Court decisions had consistently upheld this interpretation of limited state control over interstate commerce. Therefore, according to Justice Harlan, New Jersey should not have been allowed to impose its own regulations on an interstate railroad company operating within its borders without first obtaining approval from the Interstate Commerce Commission.