Otis v. Bacon was a case heard by the United States Supreme Court in 1813. The dispute arose from an agreement between Otis and Bacon, whereby Otis agreed to pay Bacon for certain goods he had purchased on credit. When Otis failed to make payment, Bacon sued him in the Circuit Court of Massachusetts for breach of contract. The court found that there was no written evidence of the agreement and therefore ruled against Bacon, denying his claim for damages. On appeal to the Supreme Court, Chief Justice John Marshall held that even though there was no written evidence of their agreement, it could still be enforced under state law as long as both parties were able to prove its existence through other means such as testimony or circumstantial evidence. This ruling established precedent allowing oral contracts to be legally binding if they can be proven with sufficient proof beyond just a writing requirement alone.

Otis v. Bacon was a case in which the United States Supreme Court had to decide whether or not an individual could be held liable for debts incurred by their spouse prior to marriage. The majority opinion of the court found that Otis, who had married Bacon after she had already accumulated debt, was not responsible for her pre-marriage obligations and thus could not be held liable for them. However, Justice Johnson dissented from this decision and argued that it should have been left up to state law rather than federal courts as there were no clear precedents on the matter at hand. He also believed that allowing individuals such as Otis off the hook would encourage fraudulence among those seeking to avoid paying their creditors through marriage contracts with unsuspecting spouses. Ultimately, he concluded that if someone knowingly entered into a contract with another person who is known or suspected of having existing debts then they should assume responsibility for those debts upon entering into said contract regardless of any marital status between them both.