In the 1892 case of Ankeny v. Clark, the U.S Supreme Court dealt with a dispute over land ownership in Washington State. The plaintiff, Ankeny, claimed that he had purchased the disputed property from its original owner and was therefore entitled to it. However, Clark argued that he had acquired rights to the same piece of land through preemption - a legal principle allowing someone who has occupied or improved an area of public land to purchase it before others can do so. The court ruled in favor of Clark on grounds that his claim was valid under federal law which allowed settlers on public lands (who were either citizens or intended to become citizens) to establish preemptive rights by improving and residing on such lands for at least six months prior any other claims being made. This decision reinforced principles around preemption laws during this period when westward expansion often led to disputes over newly settled territories.

The Ankeny v. Clark case does not have a recorded dissenting opinion available for summarization. The 1892 Supreme Court case primarily dealt with issues of land ownership and the interpretation of certain legislative acts, but all justices concurred in the decision, meaning there was no dissenting viewpoint expressed within official court records.