Polk's Lessee v. Wendal & Al was a landmark Supreme Court decision that established the principle of judicial review in the United States. The case involved a dispute between two parties over land rights, with one party claiming ownership under an act of Congress and the other party asserting title by virtue of state law. In its ruling, the Court held that federal laws are supreme to state laws when there is conflict between them, and it declared unconstitutional any state law which conflicts with or impairs federal legislation. This decision marked an important milestone in American constitutional history as it affirmed for all time that courts have authority to interpret and declare invalid any legislative action deemed contrary to the Constitution.

In Polk's Lessee v. Wendal & Al, the Supreme Court was tasked with determining whether a tenant of land had the right to bring suit against another party for trespass on that land. The majority opinion held that tenants did not have such rights and could only sue in their own name if they were also owners of the property. Justice Johnson dissented from this decision, arguing that tenants should be allowed to sue for trespass as long as they can prove ownership or possession of the property at issue. He argued further that allowing tenants to bring suits would protect them from being taken advantage of by landlords who may otherwise refuse to take action against those trespassing on their properties. Ultimately, he concluded that denying tenants these rights would leave them without any legal recourse when faced with similar situations in which landowners refused to act on their behalf and thus put them at an unfair disadvantage compared to other parties involved in disputes over real estate matters.