Buffington v. Harvey was a United States Supreme Court case that dealt with the issue of whether a contract between two parties was valid. The case involved a contract between William Buffington and William Harvey, in which Buffington agreed to pay Harvey a certain amount of money for the use of a certain piece of land. Harvey argued that the contract was invalid because it had not been properly executed. The Supreme Court held that the contract was valid, and that Harvey was entitled to the money he was promised. The Court reasoned that the contract was valid because it had been signed by both parties, and that the terms of the contract were clear and unambiguous. The Court also noted that the contract had been in effect for several years, and that both parties had acted in accordance with its terms. The Court concluded that the contract was valid and enforceable, and that Harvey was entitled to the money he was promised.

Justice Field delivered the dissenting opinion in Buffington v. Harvey, a case concerning whether or not an individual was entitled to compensation for services rendered as a special commissioner of insolvency. The majority held that the individual was not entitled to such compensation because he had failed to comply with certain statutory requirements. Justice Field disagreed and argued that although there were some technical errors made by the petitioner, they did not amount to sufficient grounds for denying him his right to payment. He further noted that it would be unjust and inequitable if these minor mistakes resulted in depriving him of what he had earned through hard work and labor on behalf of creditors who were otherwise unable to collect their debts due from insolvent debtors. In conclusion, Justice Field believed that since no one else suffered any harm due to these technical errors, it would be wrong for them alone serve as justification for withholding payment from someone who provided valuable service at great personal expense without any expectation of reward other than what was promised by law.