Godden v. Kimmell is a United States Supreme Court case that was decided in 1878. The case involved a dispute between two parties over the ownership of a piece of land in Michigan. The plaintiff, Godden, claimed that he had purchased the land from the defendant, Kimmell, in 1867. Kimmell, however, argued that the deed was invalid because it had not been properly recorded. The Supreme Court ultimately sided with Godden, ruling that the deed was valid and that Godden was the rightful owner of the land. The Court reasoned that the deed was valid because it had been delivered to Godden and accepted by him, and that the failure to record the deed did not invalidate it. The Court also held that the statute of limitations had not expired, and that Godden was therefore entitled to the land. In conclusion, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Godden, finding that the deed was valid and that Godden was the rightful owner of the land. The Court's decision established that a deed is valid even if it is not recorded, as long as it has been delivered and accepted.

In the case of Godden v. Kimmell, the Supreme Court was tasked with determining whether a contract between two parties could be enforced when it had been made without consideration and in violation of a state statute. The majority opinion held that since there was no consideration for the contract, it could not be enforced by either party. Justice Field dissented from this decision, arguing that while contracts made without consideration are generally unenforceable under common law principles, they can still be valid if they do not violate any statutes or public policy considerations. He argued further that in this particular case, there were no such violations present and thus the contract should have been upheld as valid and enforceable by both parties.