by John Marshall Harlan, Snell v. Insurance Company — Opinion of the Court
“ In deciding, therefore, as we do, that the complainants are entitled to have the policy reformed in accordance with the original agreement, it is not perceived that we enlarge or depart, in any just sense, from the general and salutary rule, that a mere mistake of law, stripped of all other circumstances, constitutes no ground for the reformation of written contracts. ”
by John Marshall Harlan, Snell v. Insurance Company — Opinion of the Court
“ A court of equity could not deny relief under such circumstances, without aiding the insurance company to obtain an unconscionable advantage, through a mistake, for which its agents were chiefly responsible. In all such cases, there being no laches on the part of the party, either in discovering and alleging the mistake, or in demanding relief therefrom, equity will lay hold of any additional circumstances, fully established, which will justify its interposition to prevent marked injustice being done. ”
by John Marshall Harlan, Snell v. Insurance Company — Opinion of the Court
“ A definite, concluded agreement as to insurance, which, in point of time, preceded the preparation and delivery of the policy, is established by legal and exact evidence, which removes all doubt as to the understanding of the parties. In the attempt to reduce the contract to writing there has been a mutual mistake, caused chiefly by that party who now seeks to limit the insurance to an interest in the property less than that agreed to be insured. ”
