John G. McDonald brought a case against George B. Magruder to the Supreme Court in 1830, claiming that he had been wrongfully evicted from his property by Magruder and was seeking damages for it. The court found that McDonald had not provided sufficient evidence of ownership of the land, as he did not have any written proof or title deed to prove his claim. Furthermore, they determined that even if he could provide such evidence, there were still other issues at play which would prevent him from recovering damages due to an expired statute of limitations on bringing suit against someone who has unlawfully taken possession of another's real estate without legal authority or right. Ultimately, the court ruled in favor of Magruder and denied McDonald’s request for compensation for being wrongfully evicted from his property.

In the case of John G. McDonald vs George B. Magruder, Justice McLean delivered a dissenting opinion in which he argued that the plaintiff had not been denied due process as required by law and should be allowed to recover damages for his losses. He reasoned that since there was no evidence presented at trial to show any fraud or misrepresentation on behalf of either party, it was improper for the court to deny recovery based solely on an alleged lack of consideration between them. Furthermore, he noted that even if there had been some form of mistake or misunderstanding between them regarding their agreement, this did not necessarily mean they were without legal recourse; rather, it could have provided grounds for rescission or reformation instead of outright denial. Ultimately, Justice McLean concluded that denying relief would be unjust and contrary to established principles governing contracts and agreements under American law.