Dice (P) was a railroad fireman. P was seriously injured when an engine of the Railroad (D) jumped the track. P sued for negligence in an Ohio state court under the Federal Employers' Liability Act. D defended the action with a document signed by P, which released D from all liability over $924.63, which P had already received. P contended that he had not read the statement before signing the document. D told P that the document was merely a receipt for the $924.63. The jury gave the verdict to P for $25,000. The trial court entered judgment n.o.v. for D; under Ohio law, P could not renounce his signing of the release because he had a duty to read the document before signing it. The court also reasoned that factual issues as to fraud were properly decided by the trial court rather than a jury. The Ohio Court of Appeals reversed the trial decision; federal law should have been applied (a finding of fraud would void the use of the document). The Ohio Supreme Court reversed the appellate court decision. P appealed.

This section contains the nature of the case and procedural background.

The legal issues presented in this case will be displayed here.

The court's holding and decision will be displayed here.

Legal analysis from Dean's Law Dictionary will be displayed here.