In the case of De Sollar v. Hanscome (1894), the U.S. Supreme Court was tasked with deciding on a dispute over property rights and inheritance laws between two parties, one being an American citizen and the other a foreign national. The plaintiff, Mrs. De Sollar, claimed that she had been wrongfully deprived of her rightful share in her late husband's estate by Mr. Hanscome who was acting as executor to his will. The main issue at hand revolved around whether or not Mrs. De Sollar could claim any part of her deceased husband’s estate under California law given that she was a French citizen while he was an American citizen domiciled in California at the time of his death. The court ruled in favor of Mrs.De Sollar stating that nationality did not affect marital property rights under Californian law which recognized community property principles where both spouses have equal ownership interest in all assets acquired during their marriage regardless of individual income or contribution.

In the dissenting opinion for De Sollar v. Hanscome, it was argued that the majority's interpretation of the law was incorrect and overly restrictive. The dissenting justices believed that Mrs. De Sollar had a legitimate claim to her late husband's estate, despite not being named in his will or trust documents. They contended that Mr. De Sollar’s intent to provide for his wife should have been inferred from other evidence presented during trial, such as letters he wrote expressing concern about her financial well-being after his death and statements made by friends and family members who testified on her behalf. The dissent also criticized the majority for failing to consider relevant state laws which could potentially support Mrs. De Sollar’s claim, including those pertaining to marital property rights and inheritance rules in cases where a spouse dies without leaving a valid will. Finally, they expressed concerns about potential negative implications of this ruling on future cases involving similar circumstances - particularly those involving women whose legal rights were often overlooked or disregarded during this period in history.