In the 1995 case Wisconsin v. City of New York, the US Supreme Court ruled in favor of the city by a vote of 8-1. The dispute centered around how to conduct the national census and whether or not to use statistical sampling techniques to account for individuals who are typically undercounted. The state of Wisconsin argued that this method would lead to an inaccurate count and potentially affect their representation in Congress as well as federal funding allocations. However, the court held that while it was within its power to decide on such matters, it deferred judgment on these technical issues related with conducting census counts back to Commerce Department's discretion because they were better equipped with expertise and experience necessary for making such decisions.

In the dissenting opinion for Wisconsin v. City of New York et al., Justice Stevens argued that the Secretary's decision to adjust census data was not a discretionary one, but rather an obligation under federal law. He believed that if there were statistical methods available to correct known inaccuracies in population counts, they should be used. The majority’s interpretation of the Census Act as granting discretion on whether or not to use these methods was seen by Justice Stevens as inconsistent with both the language and purpose of the statute. Furthermore, he disagreed with their view that political considerations could justify ignoring more accurate statistical techniques when conducting a census count - arguing instead for accuracy over politics in such matters.