This US Supreme Court case involved a dispute between two parties over the ownership of a piece of land in Arkansas. The plaintiffs, Evans and another, claimed that they had purchased the land from the defendant, Pike, in 1871. Pike, however, argued that he had never sold the land and that the deed of sale was invalid. The Supreme Court found in favor of the plaintiffs, ruling that the deed of sale was valid and that the plaintiffs had a valid claim to the land. The Court held that the deed of sale was valid because it was executed in accordance with the laws of Arkansas at the time, and that the plaintiffs had taken all necessary steps to ensure that the deed was valid. The Court also noted that the defendant had failed to provide any evidence to support his claim that the deed was invalid. The Court's ruling established that the deed of sale was valid and that the plaintiffs had a valid claim to the land. This case serves as an important precedent for the validity of deeds of sale in Arkansas and other states.

Justice Field delivered the dissenting opinion in Evans & Another v. Pike, arguing that the majority's decision was contrary to both precedent and common sense. He argued that Congress had not intended for a state law to be applied when it conflicted with federal laws, as this case did. Furthermore, he noted that if states were allowed to pass laws which contradicted federal statutes, then there would be no uniformity of legislation across the country and chaos could ensue. He also pointed out that allowing such conflicting laws would create an unequal burden on citizens who must abide by different rules depending on their location within the United States. Finally, Justice Field concluded his dissent by noting that while states have certain rights under our Constitution they do not have unrestricted power over matters which are subject to congressional control or regulation; thus any state law attempting to contradict a validly enacted federal statute should be declared invalid and unenforceable.