In Railroad Company v. Durant, the Supreme Court of the United States was asked to decide whether a railroad company could be held liable for damages caused by a train accident. The plaintiff, Durant, was a passenger on a train operated by the defendant, the Railroad Company. The train derailed, causing Durant to suffer serious injuries. Durant sued the Railroad Company, alleging that the accident was caused by the company's negligence. The Railroad Company argued that it was not liable for the accident because it had taken all reasonable precautions to ensure the safety of its passengers. The Supreme Court disagreed, holding that the Railroad Company was liable for the accident and that Durant was entitled to damages. The Court reasoned that the Railroad Company had a duty to exercise reasonable care in the operation of its trains and that it had failed to do so. The Court noted that the Railroad Company had not taken all reasonable precautions to ensure the safety of its passengers, and that it was therefore liable for the accident and the resulting damages.

Justice Field delivered the dissenting opinion in Railroad Company v. Durant, arguing that the majority's decision was contrary to established precedent and would lead to an unjust result. He argued that under prior case law, a railroad company had no right of action against its own stockholders for unpaid subscriptions or assessments unless it could be shown that they were made with fraudulent intent. The majority held otherwise by allowing a suit against Durant even though there was no evidence of fraud on his part; instead, he simply failed to pay his subscription as required by statute. Justice Field believed this interpretation of the law ran counter to well-established principles and would allow railroads too much power over their shareholders without any proof of wrongdoing on their part. Furthermore, he noted that such an expansive interpretation could have far-reaching implications beyond just this case since many other corporations are organized similarly and may seek similar remedies from their shareholders if allowed here.