Bryan v. Kales was a case heard by the Supreme Court of the United States in 1924. The case involved a dispute between two parties over the ownership of a piece of land in Michigan. The plaintiff, William Bryan, claimed that he had purchased the land from the defendant, John Kales, in 1891. Kales, however, argued that he had never sold the land to Bryan and that he still owned it. The Supreme Court ultimately sided with Bryan, ruling that he had acquired the land through a valid contract with Kales. The Court held that the contract was binding and that Kales had no right to reclaim the land. The Court also noted that Kales had failed to take any action to challenge the contract for over thirty years, which was considered to be an implicit acceptance of the contract. The ruling in Bryan v. Kales established the principle that a contract is binding and enforceable even if one of the parties does not take any action to challenge it. This ruling has been cited in numerous subsequent cases and is still used today to determine the validity of contracts.

In the dissenting opinion of Bryan v. Kales, Justice McReynolds argued that the majority's decision was wrongfully based on a misinterpretation of Michigan law and an incorrect application of federal constitutional principles. He noted that while it is true that state laws must be interpreted in light of their purpose and intent, this does not mean they should be disregarded altogether when considering constitutional issues. Furthermore, he argued that there was no evidence to suggest any violation or infringement upon Mr. Bryan’s rights under either the Fourteenth Amendment or other applicable federal statutes; thus, his claim for damages should have been dismissed by the lower court without consideration from the Supreme Court at all. In conclusion, Justice McReynolds believed that if states are allowed to pass laws which violate fundamental rights such as those protected by due process clauses then these protections become meaningless and individuals will suffer greatly as a result.