In the United States v. Thornton case of 1895, the Supreme Court ruled on a dispute involving land ownership in Oklahoma. The defendant, Thornton, claimed that he had purchased his plot from an individual who obtained it through a lottery system established by Congress to distribute lands previously owned by Native American tribes. However, the U.S government argued that this sale was invalid because it violated an Act of Congress which prohibited any transfer or sale of these lots within one year after receiving them from the lottery. The court sided with the government and held that such sales were indeed illegal under federal law as they contravened public policy aimed at preventing speculation and monopoly in these lands. Therefore, Thornton's claim to ownership was dismissed.

In the dissenting opinion for United States v. Thornton, it was argued that the government did not have sufficient evidence to convict Mr. Thornton of counterfeiting coins. The dissenting justices believed that while there were counterfeit coins found in his possession, this alone did not prove he had made them himself or even knew they were counterfeit. They also pointed out inconsistencies and contradictions in the testimonies of key witnesses against Mr. Thornton, which raised reasonable doubt about his guilt. Furthermore, they criticized the majority's interpretation of relevant laws and precedents as overly broad and potentially dangerous for future cases involving similar charges.