ðə dᵻfˈɛndənts ˈɑːɹɡjuːd ðæt ðeɪ wɜː ɹˈɛzᵻdənts ʌv nˈuː jˈɔːɹk ænd ðætðə lˈænd wʌz ˈæktʃuːəli ɪn stjˈuːbən kˈaʊnti, nˈuː jˈɔːɹk ænd sˌoʊ ˈoʊnli stˈeɪt ɔːɹ fˈɛdɚɹəl kˈoːɹts ɪn nˈuː jˈɔːɹk kʊd ˈɛksɚsˌaɪz dʒˌʊɹɹɪsdˈɪkʃən ˌoʊvɚ ðɪ ˈækʃən.
The defendants argued that they were residents of New York and that the land was actually in Steuben County, New York and so only state or federal courts in New York could exercise jurisdiction over the action.