John A. Perrine brought a case against the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal Company in 1850. The complainant alleged that he had been wrongfully discharged from his position as an engineer on the canal, which was owned by the defendants. He sought damages for lost wages and other costs associated with his termination of employment. The Supreme Court ultimately ruled in favor of Perrine, finding that he had been wrongfully dismissed without cause or due process and awarding him $2,000 in damages plus court costs. This ruling established important precedent regarding employee rights to fair treatment when it comes to dismissal from their positions of employment regardless of whether they are employed at-will or under contract terms.

In the case of John A. Perrine v The Chesapeake and Delaware Canal Company, the dissenting opinion argued that a contract between two parties should be honored even if it is not in writing. The complainant had entered into an agreement with the defendants to build a canal on their land for which he was to receive payment upon completion. However, when construction was finished, no payment was made by the defendants despite having accepted use of said canal. In this instance, Justice McLean believed that verbal contracts are binding and should be enforced as such; therefore he dissented from his colleagues’ decision to dismiss Mr Perrine's claim due to lack of written evidence supporting his claims against the defendant company. He felt that since both parties had agreed upon terms verbally and acted accordingly (the defendant using said canal), then they were obligated under law to fulfill those obligations regardless of whether or not there existed any written proof thereof.