Meigs and Al v. M'Clung's Lessee was a case heard before the United States Supreme Court in 1815. The dispute centered around whether or not certain lands were part of North Carolina, as claimed by Meigs and Al, or Tennessee, as argued by M'Clung's Lessee. At issue was the validity of a grant from North Carolina to Meigs and Al for these lands that had been issued prior to Tennessee becoming an independent state in 1796. The court ultimately held that since the land had become part of Tennessee upon its admission into the Union, it could not be granted away by North Carolina after this date; thus making Meig’s claim invalid. This decision established precedent regarding how states may dispose their public lands when they are admitted into the union - namely that any grants made prior to such admittance must be honored but those made afterwards will have no legal effect on title claims within said state boundaries.

In Meigs and Al v. M'Clung's Lessee, the Supreme Court was asked to decide whether a state could grant title of land that had been previously granted by the United States government. The majority opinion held that states did not have authority to grant titles for lands already owned by the federal government; however, Justice Johnson wrote a dissenting opinion in which he argued that states should be allowed to make such grants if they are done in good faith and with no knowledge of prior grants from the federal government. He reasoned that it would be unfair for individuals who purchased land from their respective state governments without knowing about any previous claims made by the federal government to lose their property rights due to an oversight on behalf of either party involved in making or recognizing those claims. Furthermore, he noted how this decision would lead people living within certain territories under dispute between two different countries into confusion as they may not know which country holds valid claim over said territory at any given time.