Township of East Oakland v. Skinner was a United States Supreme Court case that addressed the issue of whether a municipality could be held liable for damages caused by a defective bridge. The case arose when a man named Skinner was injured while crossing a bridge in East Oakland, California. The bridge had been built by the township, and Skinner argued that the township was liable for his injuries because the bridge was defective. The Supreme Court held that the township was not liable for Skinner's injuries. The Court reasoned that the township had not been negligent in constructing the bridge, and that the township had no duty to inspect the bridge for defects. The Court also noted that the township had no control over the condition of the bridge, as it was a public highway. The Court's decision in Township of East Oakland v. Skinner established that municipalities are not liable for damages caused by defective bridges, unless they have been negligent in constructing or maintaining the bridge. This decision has been cited in numerous subsequent cases, and has been used to support the notion that municipalities are not liable for damages caused by public highways.

Justice Field delivered the dissenting opinion in Township of East Oakland v. Skinner, arguing that a municipality should not be held liable for damages caused by its negligence. He argued that municipalities are organized to provide services and benefits to their citizens, but they do not have any authority or power to create laws or regulations which would make them responsible for injuries resulting from their own negligence. Furthermore, he noted that it is impossible for a municipality to guarantee safety when performing public works projects since there are always risks associated with such activities. Finally, Justice Field concluded his dissent by stating that if municipalities were held liable for all damages caused by their negligence then this could lead to an increase in taxes and other costs which would ultimately burden taxpayers who had no part in causing the injury at issue.