In Bennett v. Harkrader, the U.S Supreme Court ruled on a dispute over land ownership in Virginia. The plaintiff, Bennett, claimed that he had purchased the property from its rightful owner and was therefore entitled to it. However, the defendant, Harkrader argued that he held legal title to the same piece of land due to a previous court decision which granted him possession as payment for an unpaid debt by another party who also claimed ownership of this property. The Supreme Court found in favor of Harkrader based on two main points: firstly because his claim predated Bennett's purchase; secondly because under Virginia law at that time (which followed English common law), when there are conflicting claims over real estate properties where one party is in actual physical possession while other parties have only paper titles but no physical control or occupation - preference is given to those with actual possession unless proven otherwise through proper legal procedures.

The dissenting opinion in the case of Bennett v. Harkrader argued that the majority's decision was incorrect because it failed to properly consider the nature and purpose of a tax deed. The dissent believed that a tax deed should be viewed as an instrument primarily designed to convey title, rather than simply serving as evidence of a sale for unpaid taxes. Therefore, any defects or irregularities in such deeds should not automatically render them void unless they directly affect the validity of the transfer itself. This perspective diverged from that held by the majority, which ruled against Bennett on grounds related to procedural errors associated with his acquisition and use of a tax deed.