In this case, David Maxwell and Thomas Watkins and Mary Watkins his wife (the plaintiffs in error) brought a suit against Israel M. Moore, Madison M. Morris, Henry Morris, James P. Kellen, John F. Black, James F. Batte and William M Craig (the defendants). The dispute centered around the ownership of certain real estate located in Missouri that had been purchased by the plaintiffs from one of the defendants for $2125 dollars but was later claimed to be owned by another defendant who refused to honor the sale or return any money paid on it. The Supreme Court ultimately ruled in favor of the plaintiffs holding that they were entitled to recover their purchase price plus interest from all parties involved as well as damages for trespass committed upon them when they attempted to take possession of said property after purchasing it legally from one party with no knowledge that there was an outstanding claim against it by another party at time of sale .

In the case of David Maxwell, Thomas Watkins and Mary Watkins v. Israel M. Moore et al., the dissenting opinion was that a contract between two parties should be enforced as written, regardless of any subsequent changes in circumstances or events that may have occurred after it was signed. The majority had held that because certain conditions had changed since the contract's signing, it could not be enforced; however, this view did not take into account other provisions within the agreement which allowed for such modifications to occur without invalidating its terms. As such, Justice Grier argued that these changes were irrelevant and should not affect whether or not a valid contract existed between both parties at all times during its duration.