In Purcell v. Miner, the Supreme Court of the United States was asked to decide whether a contract between two parties was valid. The contract in question was between a miner, Purcell, and a mining company, Miner. Purcell had agreed to work for Miner for a period of two years in exchange for a certain amount of money. Miner had failed to pay Purcell the agreed-upon amount, and Purcell sued for breach of contract. The Supreme Court held that the contract was valid and enforceable. The Court noted that the contract was clear and unambiguous, and that both parties had agreed to its terms. The Court also noted that the contract was not against public policy, and that it was not unconscionable. The Court held that Miner was liable for breach of contract and ordered it to pay Purcell the agreed-upon amount. In conclusion, the Supreme Court held that the contract between Purcell and Miner was valid and enforceable. The Court ordered Miner to pay Purcell the agreed-upon amount for breach of contract.

In Purcell v. Miner, the Supreme Court was tasked with determining whether a contract between two parties could be enforced when it had been made without consideration of any kind. The majority opinion held that such contracts were not enforceable and should not be recognized by courts of law. However, in his dissenting opinion Justice Nelson argued that while consideration is generally necessary for a valid contract to exist, there are certain exceptions where no consideration is required but the agreement still holds legal force. He further stated that if an agreement has been entered into in good faith and both parties have acted upon it as though it were binding then the court should recognize its validity even if there was no initial exchange of value or promise given at the time of formation. Ultimately he concluded that since both parties had acted on their agreement and relied upon its terms they should be allowed to seek enforcement through judicial means despite having initially formed their arrangement without any form of consideration present