The Experiment was a landmark Supreme Court case in which the court determined that an act of Congress could not be used to override state laws. The case centered around a ship called The Experiment, which had been seized by the United States government after it was found to have violated revenue laws. However, when the vessel's owners attempted to reclaim their property through legal action, they were denied because of a federal law passed in 1813 that allowed for such seizures without compensation. In its ruling, the Supreme Court held that this law did not supersede existing state laws and thus could not be applied retroactively against those who owned The Experiment prior to its passage. This decision established important precedent regarding states' rights and limited Congress' ability to pass legislation overriding them.

In The Experiment, the Supreme Court was asked to decide whether a state court had jurisdiction over a case involving an alleged breach of contract between two citizens from different states. Justice Johnson wrote the dissenting opinion, arguing that the Constitution did not grant any power to Congress or state courts to hear cases between citizens of different states. He argued that this type of dispute should be left for private resolution and that it would be unconstitutional for either Congress or state courts to interfere in such matters. Furthermore, he noted that allowing one party's interpretation of a contract could lead to unfairness and injustice if both parties were not given equal opportunity for their voices heard before judgment is rendered. Ultimately, Justice Johnson concluded by stating his belief that disputes between citizens from different states should remain outside the purview of federal and state governments unless specifically authorized by law.