In the Wells v. Goodnow's Administrator case of 1893, the U.S Supreme Court was tasked with resolving a dispute over property rights and inheritance laws. The plaintiff, Wells, claimed that he had purchased land from Goodnow prior to his death but did not receive a deed for it before Goodnow passed away. Afterward, Goodnow's estate administrator refused to acknowledge this sale or provide Wells with the deed in question. The court ruled in favor of Wells stating that even though no formal written contract existed between him and Goodnow regarding the land purchase; their verbal agreement supported by other evidences like payment receipts were sufficient proof of sale under common law principles governing real estate transactions at that time period. Therefore, they ordered Goodnow’s administrator to deliver the appropriate deed to Mr.Wells as per their original agreement.

The dissenting opinion in the Wells v. Goodnow's Administrator case argued that the majority misinterpreted the law and failed to consider important facts of the case. The dissenting justices believed that Mr. Wells had a valid claim on Mrs. Goodnow's estate because he provided her with care, support, and companionship during her final years of life without any form of compensation or promise for payment from Mrs. Goodnow herself or her family members before she passed away; thus, they contended it was only fair for him to be compensated after her death from her remaining assets as an implied contract existed between them based on their mutual understanding and actions throughout their relationship prior to Mrs.Goodnow’s demise.