Doggett v. Railroad Company was a case heard by the United States Supreme Court in 1878. The case involved a dispute between Doggett, a railroad company, and a third party, the Railroad Company. Doggett had contracted with the Railroad Company to transport goods from one place to another. However, the Railroad Company failed to fulfill its obligations under the contract, and Doggett sued for damages. The Supreme Court held that Doggett was entitled to damages for the Railroad Company's breach of contract. The Court reasoned that the Railroad Company had a duty to fulfill its obligations under the contract, and that Doggett had a right to expect that the Railroad Company would do so. The Court also held that Doggett was entitled to damages for the Railroad Company's failure to fulfill its obligations, and that the damages should be calculated based on the value of the goods that were not delivered. In conclusion, the Supreme Court held that Doggett was entitled to damages for the Railroad Company's breach of contract, and that the damages should be calculated based on the value of the goods that were not delivered.

Justice Field delivered the dissenting opinion in Doggett v. Railroad Company, arguing that the majority's decision was inconsistent with prior Supreme Court decisions and would lead to a dangerous precedent. He argued that Congress had not intended for railroad companies to be held liable for damages caused by their negligence when they were acting as common carriers of goods. The majority's ruling, he said, would place an undue burden on railroads and could potentially bankrupt them if they were forced to pay out large sums of money every time something went wrong during transportation. Furthermore, Justice Field noted that there was no evidence presented at trial indicating any kind of willful or wanton misconduct on behalf of the railroad company which might have justified such a harsh penalty being imposed upon it. In conclusion, he urged his colleagues to reconsider their position and instead affirm the lower court’s judgment in favor of Doggett since it more accurately reflected existing law regarding liability for negligent acts committed by common carriers like railroads