John Doe, lessee of Jacob Cheesman, Peter Cheesman and Sarah his wife, Beersheba Parker, Ward Pearce and John Clark and Margaret his wife, Ann Jackson William Jackson Seward Jackson Mary Jackson Watson and Sarah his late wife (Sarah Pearce), William Pearce Ward Pearce Miraba Edwards James Edwards Richard Pierce William James Margaret Pierce Thomas Morris Mary his late wife (Mary Pierce) Elizabeth Powell (late Elizabeth Pearce) Jacob Williams Elizabeth Williams Sarah Smallwood Deborah Bryant George L. Hood Letitia in her right Joseph Smallwood Joseph Hurff Jane Turner John Brown Mary in her right William Smallwood Isaac Hurff Elizabeth in her right Richard Sharp Mariam in her right Randall Nicholson Drusella in her right Jacob Mattison Jemima in her rights Joseph Nicholson Mariaminherright ThomasPearce MatthewPierceallcitizens brought a case to the Supreme Court. The dispute was over land ownership between two parties who both claimed they had legal title to the same property. After much deliberation by the court it was determined that neither party could prove their claim beyond reasonable doubt so no decision was made as to which party should be awarded ownership of the land.

In the dissenting opinion of this US Supreme Court case, John Doe, lessee of Jacob Cheesman and others argued that a deed from 1790 was valid. The deed had been given to William Pearce by his father in law for land located in Maryland. This deed was later challenged as being invalid due to lack of witnesses or seals on it. However, the dissent argued that there were sufficient facts presented which showed that the original grantor intended for William Pearce to receive title over the property and thus should be recognized as valid despite not having any formalities attached such as witnesses or seals. Furthermore, they noted that since 1840 multiple people have held possession over this land based on their belief in its validity and thus should not now be deprived of their rights due to an issue with formality after so many years have passed without dispute.