Geyer et al. v. Michel et al., and the Ship Den Onzkeren was a case heard by the United States Supreme Court in 1796. The dispute centered around ownership of a Dutch ship, Den Onzkeren, which had been captured by French privateers during the Revolutionary War and sold to Geyer's agent in France for $2,000. The original owners of the vessel argued that they were entitled to compensation from Geyer as he had purchased it without their knowledge or consent while it was still under their control; however, Geyer maintained that his purchase was valid because he did not know at the time of sale that it belonged to someone else. In its decision, the court found in favor of Michel et al., ruling that since there is no such thing as an innocent purchaser when dealing with stolen property - even if one does not have actual knowledge - then any purchase made without proper authorization is invalid and must be reversed or compensated for accordingly.

In Geyer et al. v Michel et al., the Supreme Court was asked to decide whether a ship, Den Onzkeren, that had been seized by French privateers in 1793 and sold at auction in France should be restored to its original owners or remain with the purchasers of the vessel. The majority opinion held that since it was impossible for American citizens to reclaim their property from foreign governments without violating international law, they could not recover their lost ships from those who purchased them abroad. However, Justice Paterson dissented on this point and argued that if an individual's property is taken away through no fault of his own then he has a right to seek restitution regardless of any existing treaties between nations. He further asserted that while such claims may be difficult or even impossible to enforce due to political considerations, justice demands recognition of these rights nonetheless.