In the 1893 U.S. Supreme Court case of Seeberger v. Castro, the court examined a dispute over land ownership in California that had its origins in Mexican law prior to California's admission as a state. The plaintiff, Seeberger, claimed ownership based on an alleged grant from Pio Pico (the last governor of Alta California under Mexican rule) to his predecessors-in-interest before American acquisition of the territory. However, there was no record or evidence supporting this claim other than testimonies which were deemed unreliable by both lower courts and the Supreme Court due to inconsistencies and contradictions within them. The defendant, Castro, argued that he held rightful title through purchase from those who had possessed it for many years without any contestation or adverse claims against their possession until Seeberger’s suit arose. The Supreme Court upheld previous rulings favoring Castro stating that even if such a grant existed but wasn't presented for confirmation according to laws passed by Congress regarding lands in former Mexican territories; it would be considered void after March 3rd 1851 when unconfirmed grants became public domain lands under US jurisdiction.

In the dissenting opinion for Seeberger v. Castro, it was argued that the majority's decision to uphold a lower court ruling in favor of Mr. Castro failed to adequately consider key aspects of international law and treaty obligations between the United States and Mexico. The dissenting justices believed that Mr. Seeberger had legitimate claims on certain properties based on his status as an American citizen and under provisions outlined in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ended the Mexican-American War in 1848. They contended that this treaty protected property rights for U.S citizens even if they were not physically present at their holdings during specific periods stipulated by Mexican laws after its enactment. Therefore, they felt it was unjust to deny him ownership simply because he did not comply with these local regulations while living abroad or unaware of them due to lack of proper notification from authorities involved.