Phelps v. Edgerton was a case heard by the United States Supreme Court in 1860. The dispute arose when William Phelps, a resident of Wisconsin, sued his neighbor John Edgerton for trespass and damages to property caused by cattle that had strayed onto Phelps’ land from Edgerton’s farm. In its decision, the court held that although it is true that an owner of livestock may be liable for any damage done to another person's property as a result of their animals wandering off their own land, this liability only applies if the owner has been negligent in allowing such an occurrence to take place or has failed to use reasonable care in preventing it from happening. Furthermore, since there was no evidence presented at trial indicating negligence on behalf of either party involved here, neither could be found liable for damages resulting from this incident and thus both parties were dismissed without prejudice. This ruling established important precedent regarding animal ownership rights and responsibilities under common law which still stands today.

In the case of Phelps v. Edgerton, Chief Justice Taney delivered a dissenting opinion in which he argued that the majority had misinterpreted the law and failed to consider its implications for other cases. He stated that by allowing slaves to be taken out of state without their owner's permission, it would open up a wide range of possibilities for slave owners to evade laws prohibiting slavery in certain states or territories. Furthermore, he argued that this decision could lead to an increase in kidnapping as well as other forms of illegal activity related to slavery. In conclusion, Taney believed that if Congress wanted such a change they should have passed legislation instead of relying on judicial interpretation alone.