Robertson v. Sichel was a United States Supreme Court case that addressed the issue of whether a contract between two parties was valid. The case involved a contract between Robertson, a New York resident, and Sichel, a resident of the District of Columbia. Robertson had agreed to purchase a large quantity of goods from Sichel, but the goods were never delivered. Robertson sued Sichel for breach of contract, but Sichel argued that the contract was invalid because it had not been properly executed. The Supreme Court held that the contract was valid and enforceable. The Court noted that the contract was made in good faith and that the parties had intended to be bound by its terms. The Court also noted that the contract was not void for lack of consideration, as Robertson had agreed to pay for the goods and Sichel had agreed to deliver them. The Court concluded that the contract was valid and enforceable, and that Robertson was entitled to damages for breach of contract.

In Robertson v. Sichel, the Supreme Court was tasked with determining whether a contract between two parties could be enforced when it had been made in violation of an existing state law. The majority opinion held that the contract should not be enforced because it violated public policy and was therefore voidable by either party to the agreement. However, Justice Field dissented from this ruling on several grounds. He argued that contracts are generally binding regardless of their legality or illegality under state laws unless they involve matters which are considered immoral or against public policy; he further noted that there were no such considerations present in this case and thus enforcing the contract would not violate any moral principles or public policies. Additionally, Justice Field stated that if one party to a contract is allowed to avoid its obligations simply because it violates some statute then all contracts would become uncertain as parties could always find some reason why they should not have to fulfill their contractual obligations due to violations of various statutes.