Johnson v. M'Intosh
United States Supreme Court
21 U.S. 543 (1823)
Relevant factsFree
Before the American Revolution, Johnson's (plaintiff) father and others obtained a tract of land directly from the Piankeshaw Indians in exchange for money, under British rule at the time. After independence, the land came under Virginia and then U.S. sovereignty, and the United States later sold a portion of the same land to M'Intosh (defendant). Johnson sued to eject M'Intosh from the land.
IssueFree
Whether land title transfers made directly from Indian tribes to private individuals, under a foreign government's rule prior to the American Revolution, are recognized in a United States court.