Rogers v. Palmer was a United States Supreme Court case that addressed the issue of whether a state court could enforce a contract that was made in violation of a state statute. The case involved a contract between two parties, Rogers and Palmer, in which Rogers agreed to pay Palmer a certain sum of money in exchange for a deed to a piece of property. The contract was made in violation of a state statute that prohibited the sale of property without a license. The Supreme Court held that the state court could not enforce the contract because it was made in violation of the state statute. The Court reasoned that the state statute was a valid exercise of the state's police power and that the state had the right to protect its citizens from fraud and other forms of deception. The Court also noted that the contract was voidable, meaning that either party could have chosen to void the contract at any time. The Court's decision in Rogers v. Palmer established that state courts cannot enforce contracts that are made in violation of state statutes. This decision has been cited in numerous subsequent cases and has become an important precedent in contract law.

Justice Field delivered the dissenting opinion in Rogers v. Palmer, arguing that the majority's decision was contrary to established law and precedent. He argued that a contract is binding on both parties regardless of whether it has been fully performed or not, and that if one party breaches their obligation then they are liable for damages. Furthermore, he noted that when two parties enter into a contract with each other they must abide by its terms unless there is an agreement between them to modify those terms. In this case, Justice Field argued that no such modification had taken place and thus the defendant should be held responsible for any breach of contract as stipulated in the original agreement between them. Finally, he concluded by noting his belief that courts should not interfere with contracts made freely by individuals but rather enforce them according to their plain meaning without regard to extraneous circumstances which may have arisen since its formation.