The Mabey case was a United States Supreme Court case that dealt with the issue of whether a state court had the authority to issue a writ of habeas corpus to a prisoner held in a federal prison. The case was brought by a prisoner, Mabey, who was held in a federal prison in New York. Mabey argued that the state court had the authority to issue a writ of habeas corpus to him, as he was being held in a federal prison. The Supreme Court held that the state court did not have the authority to issue a writ of habeas corpus to a prisoner held in a federal prison. The Court reasoned that the writ of habeas corpus was a federal prerogative, and that the state court did not have the authority to interfere with the federal government's power to imprison individuals. The Court also noted that the writ of habeas corpus was a fundamental right, and that the state court could not interfere with the federal government's power to protect this right. The Mabey case is an important case in the history of the United States Supreme Court, as it established the principle that the state court does not have the authority to issue a writ of habeas corpus to a prisoner held in a federal prison. This case is still cited today in cases involving the writ of habeas corpus.

In the case of Mabey, a majority opinion was reached that held that an individual who had been convicted of larceny and sentenced to two years in prison could not be released on bail pending appeal. However, Justice Field dissented from this decision. He argued that the court should consider whether or not there were any special circumstances present which would warrant allowing for release on bail during the appeals process. In his view, it was wrong to deny someone their right to seek justice through an appeal simply because they had already been convicted and sentenced without first considering if there were any extenuating circumstances at play which might justify granting them relief from imprisonment while awaiting their day in court. Furthermore, he argued that denying such requests could have a chilling effect on individuals seeking justice by discouraging them from appealing convictions due to fear of being denied bail and having no other option but serve out their sentence before even getting a chance at overturning it.