The Abbotsford was a case heard by the United States Supreme Court in 1878. The case involved a dispute between the owners of the Abbotsford, a steamship, and the owners of the steamship's cargo. The cargo owners had contracted with the Abbotsford to transport their goods from New York to Liverpool, England. However, the Abbotsford was damaged in a storm and the cargo owners sued the Abbotsford's owners for breach of contract. The Supreme Court held that the Abbotsford's owners were not liable for the damage to the cargo. The Court reasoned that the Abbotsford's owners had taken all reasonable precautions to protect the cargo and that the damage was caused by an act of God, which was beyond the control of the Abbotsford's owners. The Court also held that the Abbotsford's owners were not liable for any losses incurred by the cargo owners due to the delay in delivery caused by the storm. The Abbotsford case established the principle that a party is not liable for damages caused by an act of God, and that a party is not liable for losses incurred due to a delay in delivery caused by an act of God. This principle has been applied in numerous cases since the Abbotsford case and is still used today.

In The Abbotsford, 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. Justice Field delivered the dissenting opinion, arguing that contracts should not be held invalid simply because they are contrary to public policy or violate a statute. He argued that if this were allowed, then all contracts would become uncertain and subject to change at any time due to changing laws and policies. Furthermore, he maintained that such a decision would lead to injustice as innocent parties who have acted in good faith may suffer losses for no fault of their own. As such, Justice Field concluded that courts should only refuse enforcement of contracts when there is clear evidence demonstrating fraud or illegality on behalf of one party involved in making the agreement.