Pritchard v. Norton was a United States Supreme Court case that dealt with the issue of whether a state court could issue a writ of mandamus to compel a county auditor to issue a tax deed. The case was brought by the plaintiff, Pritchard, who was the owner of a tract of land in the state of Ohio. The dispute arose when Pritchard failed to pay the taxes on the land and the county auditor refused to issue a tax deed. Pritchard then sought a writ of mandamus from the state court to compel the county auditor to issue the deed. The county auditor argued that the state court did not have the authority to issue such a writ. The Supreme Court held that the state court did have the authority to issue a writ of mandamus to compel the county auditor to issue the tax deed. The Court reasoned that the state court had the power to issue such a writ because it was necessary to protect the rights of the taxpayer. The Court also noted that the writ of mandamus was a proper remedy for the situation because it was the only way to ensure that the taxpayer's rights were protected. In conclusion, the Supreme Court held that the state court had the authority to issue a writ of mandamus to compel the county auditor to issue the tax deed. This decision was important because it established that state courts have the power to issue writs of mandamus to protect the rights of taxpayers.

Justice Field delivered the dissenting opinion in Pritchard v. Norton, arguing that the majority's decision was contrary to both law and equity. He argued that a contract between two parties should not be voided simply because one of them had died before it could be performed; rather, he believed that such contracts should remain binding on their heirs or assigns. Furthermore, Justice Field noted that there was no evidence presented at trial which showed any fraud or mistake by either party when entering into the agreement in question. As such, he concluded that the lower court's judgment should have been affirmed instead of reversed as it did nothing more than enforce an existing contract between two parties who were still alive at its formation.