In Scheffer v. Railroad Company, the Supreme Court of the United States was asked to decide whether a railroad company was liable for damages caused by a train accident. The plaintiff, Scheffer, was a passenger on the train when it collided with another train, resulting in injuries to Scheffer and other passengers. The railroad company argued that it was not liable for the accident because it had taken all reasonable precautions to prevent it. The Supreme Court held that the railroad company was liable for the accident. The Court reasoned that the railroad company had a duty to use reasonable care to protect its passengers from harm, and that it had failed to do so. The Court noted that the railroad company had failed to take certain precautions that could have prevented the accident, such as providing adequate warning signals and ensuring that the trains were running on the correct tracks. The Court concluded that the railroad company was liable for the damages caused by the accident.

Justice Field delivered the dissenting opinion in Scheffer v. Railroad Company, arguing that the majority's decision was wrongfully decided and should be reversed. He argued that a railroad company is not liable for damages caused by its negligence unless it has actual knowledge of the danger posed to passengers or property on its premises. The Court had previously held in other cases that a railroad company can only be found negligent if it knew or ought to have known about any potential dangers present on their premises, which Justice Field believed applied here as well. He further argued that even if there was evidence of negligence, such as failing to provide adequate lighting at night, this did not necessarily mean they were aware of any potential danger posed by their actions and thus could not be held liable for damages resulting from an accident occurring due to lack of lighting. In conclusion, Justice Field asserted his belief that no liability should attach itself onto the defendant since they lacked knowledge of any possible harm being done through their actions and therefore cannot reasonably be expected to take preventative measures against them.