Myra Clark Gaines, appellant, brought a case against Duncan N. Hennen in the Supreme Court of the United States. At issue was whether or not Myra had inherited land from her father's estate and if so, what rights she held to it. The court found that Myra did indeed have an inheritance right to the property as well as other assets due to her being named in her father's will and having been declared his sole heir by Louisiana law at the time of his death. Furthermore, they ruled that this inheritance could not be taken away from Myra without due process of law; thus establishing a precedent for future cases involving similar issues regarding inheritances and estates.

Myra Clark Gaines, Appellant, brought a case against Duncan N. Hennen in the Supreme Court of the United States to recover possession of certain lands located in Louisiana that she claimed were her inheritance from her father's estate. The majority opinion held that since Myra was not an inhabitant or resident of Louisiana at the time when it became part of the United States and thus did not have any rights under American law, she could not bring suit for recovery of land titles based on Spanish grants made prior to 1803. In his dissenting opinion Justice Catron argued that Myra had been living abroad with her husband during this period but still retained ownership over these lands as they were granted by Spain before its cession to France and then later to America; therefore he believed she should be able to sue for their return even if she was no longer a resident or inhabitant there. He further argued that Congress had passed laws allowing such suits which should be respected regardless of whether someone is an inhabitant or non-resident at the time those laws are enacted.