Clement S. Hunt, the appellant in this case, was appealing a decision from the Circuit Court of Virginia that denied him compensation for services rendered to Lewis Rousmaniere prior to his death. The appellees were Christopher Rhodes, William Ennis and Richard K. Randolph who served as administrators of Rousmaniere's estate after he passed away. Hunt argued that he had provided medical care and other services to Rousmaniere during his lifetime but never received payment for them; thus, he sought reimbursement from the deceased man's estate upon his passing. However, the court found no evidence that any agreement existed between Hunt and Rousmaniere regarding these services or their payment before death occurred; therefore they ruled against him on all counts and denied him any form of recompense for said work done while alive. The Supreme Court ultimately agreed with this ruling due to lack of proof concerning an agreement between both parties prior to death taking place which would have allowed such a claim by Hunt against the estate afterwards

In the dissenting opinion of Clement S. Hunt v Christopher Rhodes, William Ennis, and Richard K. Randolph, Administrators of Lewis Rousmaniere Deceased (1828), Justice Story argued that the court should have granted a new trial to Hunt on the grounds that there was not enough evidence presented at his original trial to support a verdict against him. He noted that although some circumstantial evidence had been introduced by the appellees in an effort to prove their case against Hunt, it was insufficient for them to be able to establish beyond reasonable doubt that he had committed any wrong-doing or breach of contract with respect to Rousmaniere's estate. Furthermore, Story stated that even if some elements of proof were present which could lead one reasonably conclude guilt on behalf of Hunt; this did not necessarily mean they were sufficient for a jury verdict as such matters are best left up for consideration by another tribunal upon retrial where all facts can be weighed more carefully and impartially than before.