In Butterfield v. Usher, the Supreme Court of the United States was asked to decide whether a contract between two parties was valid. The contract in question was between the plaintiff, Butterfield, and the defendant, Usher. Butterfield had agreed to pay Usher a certain sum of money in exchange for Usher's services in constructing a building. Usher had completed the work, but Butterfield refused to pay the agreed-upon sum. The Supreme Court held that the contract was valid and enforceable. The Court noted that the contract was clear and unambiguous, and that both parties had agreed to its terms. The Court also noted that the contract had been executed in good faith, and that both parties had acted in accordance with its terms. The Court concluded that Butterfield was obligated to pay Usher the agreed-upon sum. The Court also noted that the contract was binding on both parties, and that Butterfield could not avoid his obligations under the contract. The Court thus held that Usher was entitled to the agreed-upon sum, and that Butterfield was liable for breach of contract.

Justice Field delivered the dissenting opinion in Butterfield v. Usher, arguing that the majority decision was wrongfully decided and should be reversed. He argued that a contract between two parties is binding unless it can be proven to have been made under duress or fraud, which had not been established in this case. Furthermore, he noted that even if there were some irregularities with the contract itself, they did not invalidate its terms as long as both parties agreed to them at the time of signing. Additionally, Justice Field pointed out that while one party may later regret their agreement due to changed circumstances or other factors beyond their control, such regrets do not render an otherwise valid contract voidable; instead any disputes must be settled through legal proceedings rather than by simply disregarding a prior agreement between two consenting adults. Finally he concluded his dissent by noting how important it is for courts to uphold contracts so as to encourage people from all walks of life engage in commerce without fear of having agreements arbitrarily overturned on technicalities alone.