As I prepare to write chapter 3, which focuses on the hearings themselves, I’ll need to take another look at the secondary literature, particularly the work of Richard Blackett, to see what new insights I can offer. Just as importantly, it will be important to hone in on several key cases to feature prominently, that offer surprising new insights about the dynamics inside the hearing room. These might include the John Freeman Case in Indianapolis, which was delayed for weeks by U.S. Commissioner William Sullivan over the summer of 1853, and the 1853 case in Pittsburgh of Calvin Jones, who was released thanks to testimony from African American allies in Pittsburgh. Both cases highlight how anti-slavery influence without shaped the dynamics inside the hearing room, offering important jumping off points for a reassessment of hearings under the 1850 statute.