Atherton et al. v. Fowler et al. was a case heard by the United States Supreme Court in 1875. The case involved a dispute between two parties over the ownership of a tract of land in the state of Mississippi. The plaintiffs, Atherton et al., claimed that they had purchased the land from the defendant, Fowler et al., in 1867. The defendants argued that the sale was invalid because the deed was not properly executed. The Supreme Court held that the deed was valid and that the plaintiffs had a valid claim to the land. The Court found that the deed was properly executed and that the defendants had no legal basis to challenge the sale. The Court also held that the plaintiffs had a valid claim to the land and that the defendants had no right to challenge the sale. The Court concluded that the plaintiffs were entitled to the land and that the defendants had no legal basis to challenge the sale.

In Atherton et al. v. Fowler et al., the Supreme Court was tasked with determining whether a deed of trust created by an individual in Virginia, which granted rights to certain individuals for land located in North Carolina, was valid under the laws of both states. The majority opinion held that it did not have jurisdiction over this case and dismissed it without deciding on its merits; however, Justice Field dissented from this decision and argued that the court had jurisdiction to decide on the validity of such deeds between two different states. He reasoned that since Congress has power over interstate commerce, they should be able to determine when contracts made between citizens of different states are valid or invalid according to their respective state laws. Furthermore, he noted that if there is no authority vested with Congress or any other body to make such determinations then disputes like these will remain unresolved due to conflicting state laws and could lead to further complications down the road if left unchecked.