In the case of Murdock v. Ward in 1899, the US Supreme Court was tasked with resolving a dispute over land ownership. The plaintiff, Murdock, claimed that he had purchased a parcel of land from an individual who had obtained it through inheritance. However, the defendant, Ward argued that he held rightful title to this property as it was part of his wife's dowry when they married and she inherited it after her father's death. The court ruled in favor of Ward based on evidence provided by him which included documents proving his marriage to his wife and her subsequent inheritance following her father’s demise. Furthermore, there were no records indicating any legal transfer or sale of this property from either Ward or his wife to anyone else including the person who allegedly sold it to Murdock.

The dissenting opinion in the case of Murdock v. Ward argued that the majority's decision to uphold a law requiring religious solicitors to obtain a license and pay a fee was an infringement on First Amendment rights. The dissenters believed that this requirement placed an undue burden on individuals practicing their religion, particularly those who were part of smaller or less wealthy religious groups. They contended that such restrictions could potentially lead to discrimination against certain religions, as it would be easier for larger, more established churches with greater resources to comply with these requirements than for smaller sects or individual practitioners. Furthermore, they asserted that the act of spreading one's faith through door-to-door evangelism should not be considered commercial activity subject to regulation but rather as an exercise of free speech protected by the Constitution.