The Norfolk & Suburban Turnpike Company v. Commonwealth of Virginia case in 1911 revolved around the issue of whether a state could impose taxes on a corporation that had been granted tax-exempt status by an earlier legislative act. The Norfolk & Suburban Turnpike Company, which operated toll roads in Virginia, was initially exempted from paying certain taxes under its charter issued by the state legislature. However, later legislation imposed property taxes on all corporations operating within the state, including those previously exempted like the turnpike company. The company argued this violated their contract rights protected under Article I Section 10 (the Contract Clause) of the U.S Constitution. The Supreme Court ruled against Norfolk & Suburban Turnpike Company and upheld Virginia's right to levy such taxes despite previous exemptions given to some companies through charters or contracts with states. It held that these types of agreements were not absolute and did not prevent future legislatures from altering them if it served public interests better; thus they didn't violate any constitutional provisions.

In the dissenting opinion for Norfolk & Suburban Turnpike Company v. Commonwealth of Virginia, it was argued that the majority's decision to uphold a state law allowing local authorities to take over and operate private turnpikes without compensation violated the Fourteenth Amendment's due process clause. The dissenting justices contended that this amounted to an unlawful seizure of property by the government without just compensation, which is explicitly prohibited under constitutional law. They further asserted that such actions could set a dangerous precedent where governments can seize and control privately owned businesses at their discretion, undermining fundamental principles of private property rights in America.