In the Union Pacific Railroad Company v. Laramie Stock Yards Company case of 1913, the U.S Supreme Court ruled in favor of Union Pacific Railroad. The dispute arose when Laramie Stock Yards claimed that it had a right to connect its tracks with those of Union Pacific and use them for switching purposes without any charge under an 1862 Act which granted certain rights to railroad companies. However, Union Pacific argued that this was not covered by the Act and demanded payment from Laramie for using their tracks. The court held that while the 1862 Act did grant some privileges to railway companies, it did not extend as far as allowing free usage of another company's track for such purposes without compensation or agreement between parties involved. Therefore, they concluded that Laramie was obligated to pay Union Pacific for utilizing their rails.

The dissenting opinion in the case of Union Pacific Railroad Company v. Laramie Stock Yards Company argued that the majority's decision was not consistent with previous rulings and interpretations of the law. The dissent believed that there was no legal basis for requiring a railroad company to provide services beyond what it had already agreed to, especially when those additional services would require significant expense and effort on its part. They contended that while public utilities have an obligation to serve the public, they also have a right to protect their own interests and should not be forced into providing costly or unreasonable accommodations without just compensation. Furthermore, they disagreed with the majority's interpretation of "reasonable" service requirements under existing laws regulating railroads, arguing instead for a more limited understanding based on historical precedent and practical considerations.