Grand Chute v. Winegar was a case heard by the United States Supreme Court in 1872. The case involved a dispute between the Town of Grand Chute, Wisconsin and the Winegar family over the ownership of a piece of land. The Winegars had purchased the land from the United States government in 1848, but the Town of Grand Chute claimed that the land was part of a larger tract of land that had been granted to the Town in 1836. The Town argued that the Winegars had no right to the land, and that the Town was the rightful owner. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Winegars, finding that the Town of Grand Chute had no legal right to the land. The Court held that the Town had failed to prove that the land was part of the larger tract of land that had been granted to the Town in 1836. The Court also held that the Winegars had acquired the land in good faith, and that the Town had no right to interfere with their ownership. The Court also noted that the Town had failed to take any action to assert its claim to the land for over thirty years, and that this inaction had resulted in the Winegars acquiring a valid title to the land.

In the case of Grand Chute v. Winegar, the Supreme Court was tasked with determining whether a Wisconsin statute allowing for an appeal from a justice court to a circuit court was constitutional. The majority opinion held that it was not unconstitutional and thus allowed for appeals in such cases. However, Justice Field dissented on this ruling, arguing that the state legislature had no authority to grant appellate jurisdiction over decisions made by justices of the peace since they were appointed by federal judges under Article III of the Constitution. He argued further that if states could do so then it would undermine judicial independence as well as create confusion among litigants who may be unsure which courts have jurisdiction over their cases. Ultimately, he concluded that Congress should be given exclusive power to regulate appeals from justices' courts and any other inferior tribunals created by them or authorized under federal law.