Porter v. Pittsburgh Bessemer Steel Co. (Limited) was a United States Supreme Court case that addressed the issue of whether a contract between two parties was valid. The plaintiff, Porter, had entered into a contract with the defendant, Pittsburgh Bessemer Steel Co. (Limited), to purchase a certain amount of steel. The contract stated that the steel was to be delivered within a certain time frame, and that the defendant would pay a certain amount of money for the steel. The defendant failed to deliver the steel within the specified time frame, and the plaintiff sued for breach of contract. The Supreme Court held that the contract was valid and enforceable, and that the defendant was liable for breach of contract. The Court also held that the plaintiff was entitled to damages for the breach of contract. The Court's decision in this case established that contracts are binding and enforceable, and that parties who fail to fulfill their contractual obligations are liable for damages. This case also established that parties must adhere to the terms of their contracts, and that failure to do so can result in legal action.

In Porter v. Pittsburgh Bessemer Steel Co., the Supreme Court was tasked with determining whether a contract between two parties that included an arbitration clause could be enforced by a court of law. The majority opinion held that such contracts were enforceable, while Justice Harlan dissented from this ruling. He argued that the language of the contract did not clearly indicate an intent to submit disputes to arbitration and thus should not be enforced in court. Furthermore, he noted that if courts were allowed to enforce these types of contracts without clear evidence of consent on both sides, it would open up individuals and companies to potential abuse as they may find themselves bound by agreements they never intended or agreed upon. As such, Justice Harlan concluded his dissent by arguing against enforcing any agreement unless there is clear evidence indicating mutual consent for all terms within it.