Dred Scott Versus Sanford. Scott then filed an action in a federal court which applied missouri law (the state where scott was purchased and. Case summary of dred scott v.
Sanford was heard in the supreme court of missouri. The case was dismissed on procedural grounds because a majority of the supreme court held that “a negro, whose ancestors were imported into [the u.s.], and sold as slaves,” whether enslaved or free, could not be an american citizen and therefore did not have standing to sue in federal court. When emerson died, scott tried to purchase both the freedom of himself and his family, but the estate refused.