Merritt v. Tiffany was a Supreme Court case from 1837. The case involved a dispute between two parties over a contract for the sale of land. The plaintiff, Merritt, had entered into a contract with the defendant, Tiffany, to purchase a tract of land. Merritt had paid a portion of the purchase price and was to pay the remainder upon the delivery of the deed. Tiffany failed to deliver the deed, and Merritt sued for breach of contract. The Supreme Court held that Tiffany was liable for breach of contract. The Court found that the contract was valid and enforceable, and that Tiffany had failed to fulfill his obligations under the contract. The Court also held that Merritt was entitled to damages for the breach of contract. The Court awarded Merritt the full purchase price of the land, plus interest and costs. This case established the principle that a party who breaches a contract is liable for damages. It also established that a contract is valid and enforceable even if the parties have not yet exchanged the deed. This case is still cited today as an example of the importance of upholding contracts and the consequences of breaching them.

In the dissenting opinion of Merritt v. Tiffany, Justice Harlan argued that the majority’s decision was wrongfully based on a misinterpretation of the contract between Merritt and Tiffany. He believed that under New York law, which governed this case, an agreement to pay for goods at a certain price should be interpreted as an obligation to pay for those goods regardless of any subsequent changes in market value or other circumstances. Furthermore, he noted that there were no provisions in their contract indicating otherwise and thus it would have been improper for them to consider such factors when determining whether or not payment was due from Merritt. In conclusion, Justice Harlan felt strongly that since there had been no breach by either party prior to delivery of the goods and all conditions had been met according to their agreement then full payment should have been required from Merritt despite any fluctuations in market prices after delivery took place.