National Bank v. Case was a United States Supreme Court case that dealt with the issue of whether a national bank could be held liable for a debt that was incurred by a third party. The case involved a dispute between the National Bank of New York and the estate of a deceased debtor, William Case. The bank had loaned money to Case, and after his death, his estate was unable to repay the loan. The bank argued that it was not liable for the debt because it had not been a party to the original loan agreement. The Supreme Court held that the bank was liable for the debt. The Court reasoned that the bank had acted as a guarantor of the loan, and that it had assumed the risk of nonpayment by the debtor. The Court also noted that the bank had received a benefit from the loan, and that it was therefore obligated to pay the debt. The Court concluded that the bank was liable for the debt, and that the estate of the debtor was entitled to repayment.

In National Bank v. Case, the Supreme Court was asked to determine whether a national bank could be held liable for damages caused by its negligence in failing to pay out money on a check that had been presented and accepted for payment. The majority opinion of the court found that such liability did not exist under existing law, but Justice Field dissented from this ruling. He argued that since banks are created as public institutions with special privileges granted by Congress, they should also bear responsibility when their actions cause injury or loss to another party. Furthermore, he noted that allowing banks to escape liability would create an unjust situation where individuals who suffer losses due to negligent banking practices have no recourse against those responsible for them. In conclusion, Justice Field believed it was unfair and contrary to justice and equity for national banks not be held accountable when their negligence causes harm or damage