Dooley v. Smith was a United States Supreme Court case that dealt with the issue of whether a state court could enforce a contract made in another state. The case involved a contract between two parties, Dooley and Smith, in which Dooley agreed to pay Smith a certain sum of money in exchange for Smith's services. Smith sued Dooley in a state court in New York for breach of contract. Dooley argued that the contract was made in Pennsylvania and that the New York court had no jurisdiction to enforce it. The Supreme Court held that the New York court had jurisdiction to enforce the contract. The Court reasoned that the contract was valid and enforceable in the state where it was made, and that the New York court had the power to enforce it. The Court also held that the contract was not void because it was made in another state, and that the New York court had the power to enforce it. The Court's decision in Dooley v. Smith established that a state court can enforce a contract made in another state, and that the contract is not void because it was made in another state. This decision has been cited in numerous cases since then, and it has been an important precedent in contract law.

In Dooley v. Smith, the Supreme Court was asked to decide whether a state court had jurisdiction over an action brought by a citizen of one state against another in which the defendant resided in yet another state. The majority opinion held that such jurisdiction did not exist and dismissed the case. In his dissenting opinion, Justice Field argued that it would be unjust for citizens of different states to have unequal access to justice based solely on their residence. He further noted that while Congress has not granted authority for this type of suit between citizens from different states, there is nothing preventing them from doing so as long as they do not violate any other laws or constitutional provisions. Furthermore, he argued that if Congress were to grant such authority then it should be done with uniformity across all states so as to ensure equal protection under law regardless of where individuals reside.