In County of Macon v. Shores, the Supreme Court of the United States was asked to decide whether a county could be held liable for damages caused by a defective bridge. The plaintiff, Shores, had been injured when his horse and wagon fell through a bridge that had been built by the county. The county argued that it was not liable for the damages because it had not been negligent in constructing the bridge. The Supreme Court held that the county was liable for the damages caused by the defective bridge. The Court reasoned that the county had a duty to maintain the bridge in a safe condition and that it had breached this duty by failing to inspect the bridge and repair any defects. The Court also noted that the county had received a fee for the construction of the bridge, which indicated that it had assumed responsibility for its maintenance. The Court concluded that the county was liable for the damages caused by the defective bridge and ordered it to pay the plaintiff for his injuries. This case established that a county can be held liable for damages caused by a defective bridge that it has constructed.

Justice Field delivered the dissenting opinion in County of Macon v. Shores, arguing that the majority's interpretation of the contract between Macon and Shores was incorrect. He argued that under a fair reading of the contract, it was clear that both parties intended for Macon to pay interest on any amount due to Shores from 1867 until payment was made. Furthermore, he noted that if this were not so then there would be no incentive for creditors to accept payments over time rather than all at once since they would receive no additional compensation for waiting longer periods before receiving their money. As such, Justice Field concluded by stating his belief that "the judgment should have been affirmed."