In the United States v. Chaves case of 1895, the Supreme Court ruled on a matter involving land grants in New Mexico. The dispute arose when two parties claimed ownership over the same piece of land - one party based their claim on an old Spanish grant, while another party relied upon a patent from the United States government. The court held that under U.S law, once a patent has been issued for public lands by the government to an individual or entity, it cannot be challenged in court except by the United States itself if there is suspicion of fraud or mistake involved in its issuance. Therefore, despite any potential prior claims to such lands (such as those originating from Spanish grants), they are rendered irrelevant following official recognition and granting by U.S authorities via patents.

In the dissenting opinion for United States v. Chaves, Justice Brewer argued that the majority's decision to uphold a conviction based on evidence obtained through an illegal search and seizure was incorrect. He believed that this ruling violated the Fourth Amendment rights of citizens against unreasonable searches and seizures. According to him, it is essential for courts to exclude any evidence obtained illegally in order to deter law enforcement officers from violating constitutional rights in their pursuit of justice. He further stated that allowing such evidence would essentially condone unlawful actions by authorities which could lead towards a dangerous path where ends justify means, undermining fundamental principles upon which our legal system rests.