Litchfield v. Railroad Company was a case heard by the United States Supreme Court in 1868. The case involved a dispute between the plaintiff, Litchfield, and the defendant, a railroad company. Litchfield had purchased a ticket from the railroad company to travel from one station to another. However, when he arrived at the station, he was refused passage because the railroad company had changed its policy and no longer allowed passengers to travel without a pass. Litchfield sued the railroad company for breach of contract, arguing that the company had violated the terms of the ticket he had purchased. The Supreme Court agreed with Litchfield, ruling that the railroad company had breached its contract with Litchfield and was liable for damages. The Court held that the railroad company had a duty to honor the terms of the ticket and that it had failed to do so. The Court's decision in Litchfield v. Railroad Company established an important precedent in contract law. It established that a party to a contract must honor the terms of the contract and that any changes to the contract must be agreed upon by both parties. This case also established that a party to a contract can be held liable for damages if they fail to honor the terms of the contract.

In Litchfield v. Railroad Company, the Supreme Court was tasked with deciding whether a railroad company could be held liable for damages caused by its negligence in operating a train that collided with another train and killed two people. The majority opinion found that the railroad company was not liable because it had acted as any reasonable person would have under similar circumstances. However, Justice Field dissented from this decision, arguing that the railroad company should be held to a higher standard of care than an ordinary person due to their expertise in running trains and knowledge of potential risks associated with such operations. He argued that since they were aware of these risks but failed to take proper precautions against them, they should be held responsible for any resulting harm or damage caused by their negligence.