The Julia Blake case was a United States Supreme Court case that dealt with the issue of a ship's lien. The case involved a dispute between the owners of the Julia Blake, a ship, and the master of the vessel. The master had been hired to take the ship from New York to Liverpool, England. During the voyage, the master incurred various expenses, including the payment of wages to the crew. The master then sought to place a lien on the ship in order to secure payment of the expenses. The owners of the ship argued that the master did not have the authority to place a lien on the vessel. The Supreme Court held that the master did have the authority to place a lien on the vessel. The Court reasoned that the master was acting as an agent of the owners and was therefore authorized to take such action. The Court also noted that the master had acted in good faith and had acted in the best interests of the owners. The Court concluded that the master was entitled to place a lien on the vessel in order to secure payment of the expenses he had incurred.

In the case of The Julia Blake, the Supreme Court was tasked with determining whether a vessel that had been sold in good faith to an innocent purchaser could be seized by creditors of its former owner. The majority opinion held that it could not, as such seizure would violate the sanctity of contracts and property rights. However, Justice Field dissented from this ruling on grounds that there is no legal protection for purchasers who are unaware or do not inquire into any potential liens against a vessel they purchase. He argued that if such protections were provided then those wishing to avoid their debts would have little incentive to pay them off before selling their vessels. Furthermore, he stated that allowing debtors to escape liability through transferring ownership without paying off existing obligations undermines public policy and encourages fraudulence among individuals seeking refuge from their financial responsibilities.