From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishlay claim to (doing) somethinglay claim to (doing) somethingto say that something belongs to you or say that you deserve something The town can lay claim to having the oldest theatre in Britain. No one has laid claim to the property. → lay
Examples from the Corpus
lay claim to (doing) something• This latter idea could lay claim to a basis in ideas of collegiality - but only of a limited nature.• Initially these had been one hundred and seventy-five men and twenty-five horses laying claim to an empire of fourteen million.• They seem to lay claim to being purely of the mind's eye, a manifestation of pure objectivity.• I'd guess it also can lay claim to the oldest leader of a still-functioning organisation today.• Dole himself did not expect to lay claim to the title of presumptive nominee until after the March 26 primary in California.• With his victory in Florida officially certified, Bush announced new moves to lay claim to the White House. 