Stoddard v. Martin

Stoddard v. Martin 1 R.I. 1 (1828) was the first case recorded in the official reports of the Rhode Island Supreme Court.

In the Court's first officially recorded decision, Chief Justice Samuel Eddy held that a bet on the outcome of the 1826 U.S. Senate election (Ashur Robbins won) was a void contract as against public policy because of its immorality.

Chief Justice Eddy cited British common law precedent to support the decision. Cited cases include: Gilbert and Sykes, (16 East. 156); Vescher v. Yates (11 Johns. 31); Da Costa v. Jones (Cowp. 720); Bunn v. Riker (4 Johns. 428); Lansing v. Lansing (8 Johns. 454).

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