The Montello was a case heard by the United States Supreme Court in 1873. The case involved a dispute between the owners of the steamship Montello and the owners of the steamship St. Lawrence. The Montello had been damaged by the St. Lawrence while the two ships were navigating the Mississippi River. The owners of the Montello sued the owners of the St. Lawrence for damages. The Supreme Court held that the owners of the Montello were entitled to damages from the owners of the St. Lawrence. The Court reasoned that the St. Lawrence had been negligent in its navigation of the river, and that the Montello had suffered damages as a result. The Court also held that the owners of the Montello were entitled to recover damages for the loss of the use of the ship while it was being repaired. The Court's decision established the principle that a vessel owner is entitled to recover damages for the loss of the use of the vessel while it is being repaired. This principle has been applied in numerous cases since the Montello decision.

The Montello was a case heard before the United States Supreme Court in 1873. The dispute arose when the steamboat Montello collided with another vessel, resulting in damages to both boats. The owners of the other boat sued for damages and argued that they should be compensated under admiralty law. However, Justice Field delivered a dissenting opinion which held that admiralty law did not apply because this collision occurred on an inland river rather than at sea or within navigable waters as defined by Congress. He further argued that even if it had been considered a maritime accident, there were no applicable statutes governing such matters since Congress had not yet passed any laws regarding collisions between vessels on rivers or lakes. As such, he concluded that state common law should govern instead of federal admiralty jurisdiction and thus denied compensation to the plaintiffs who owned the damaged vessel