Year In Review

United States v. Delpriore

Posted on April 26th, 2023

CONSTITUTIONAL LAWUnited States District Court, District of Alaska (2022)Alex BartlowIn United States v. Delpriore, 2022 WL 17490771 (D. Alaska Oct. 4, 2022), the district court heldthat prohibitions on the possession of firearms by felons continue to be valid after the SupremeCourt’s ruling in New York State Rifle & Pistol Ass’n, Inc. v. Bruen, 142 S. Continue Reading »

Griffith v. Hemphill

Posted on April 26th, 2023

PROPERTY LAWSupreme Court of Alaska (2022)Rachel ReissIn Griffith v. Hemphill, 521 P.3d 584 (Alaska 2022), the supreme court held that tenants’ breachof contract claim against their landlord was timely filed and thus not barred by the statute oflimitations. (Id. at 588). Starting in 2008, two tenants leased commercial property from a landlordin order to operate Continue Reading »

Angelica C. v. Jonathan C.

Posted on April 26th, 2023

FAMILY LAWSupreme Court of Alaska (2022)Sarah CouillardIn Angelica C. v. Jonathan C., 519 P.3d 334 (Alaska 2022), the supreme court held that thesuperior court did not abuse its discretion by finding that a child’s best interests in preserving thefather’s parental rights outweighed the mother’s rights as a victim of sexual abuse by the child’sfather. (Id. Continue Reading »

Aspen American Insurance Co. v. Morrow

Posted on April 26th, 2023

CIVIL PROCEDUREUnited States District Court, District of Alaska (2022)Anighya CrockerIn Aspen American Insurance Co. v. Morrow, 2022 WL 17337913 (D. Alaska 2022), the districtcourt applied the Ninth Circuit’s seven–factor test to partially grant a motion for default judgmentagainst a non–participating party. (Id. at *1). The Lyons were a couple who sold a ship to defendantMorrow, Continue Reading »

Garcia v. Vitus Energy, L.L.C. (Garcia III)

Posted on April 26th, 2023

TORT LAWUnited States District Court, District of Alaska (2022)Jake ShermanIn Garcia v. Vitus Energy, L.L.C., 605 F. Supp. 3d 1188 (D. Alaska 2022), the court held that areasonable jury could find that a principal granted an agent apparent authority by designating himas captain of the principal’s ship. (Id. at 1217). After suffering injuries while being Continue Reading »

Disciplinary Matter Involving Merdes

Posted on April 26th, 2023

ETHICSSupreme Court of Alaska (2022)Alex BartlowIn Disciplinary Matter Involving Merdes, 518 P.3d 727 (Alaska 2022), the supreme court held thata four–year suspension from the practice of law is an appropriate sanction for an attorney’smisconduct when the attorney intentionally defrauded a former client. (Id. at 743). An AlaskaNative corporation hired the attorney on a contingency fee Continue Reading »

Bakalar v. Dunleavy

Posted on April 26th, 2023

EMPLOYMENT LAWUnited States District Court, District of Alaska (2022)Elza BouhassiraIn Bakalar v. Dunleavy, 580 F.Supp.3d 66 (D. Alaska 2022), the district court held that an assistantattorney general’s free speech and associational rights were violated when she was terminated bythe state government. (Id. at 691). The assistant attorney general (AAG) held her position for morethan twelve Continue Reading »

Knolmayer v. McCollum

Posted on April 26th, 2023

CONSTITUTIONAL LAWSupreme Court of Alaska (2022)Flora LipskyIn Knolmayer v. McCollum, 520 P.3d 634 (Alaska 2022), the supreme court held, as a matter offirst impression, that the state statute limiting medical malpractice damages awards violated thestate constitution’s Equal Protection Clause as applied to a claimant who received compensationfrom an insurer exercising a right of subrogation against Continue Reading »

Smith v. Helzer

Posted on April 26th, 2023

ELECTION LAWUnited States District Court, District of Alaska (2022)Kristiana OlsonIn Smith v. Helzer, 2022 WL 2757421 (D. Alaska 2022), the district court denied a request toenjoin the enforcement provisions requiring disclosures for political donations. (Id. at *14). In2020, Alaskans enacted changes to the election system by ballot measure, including additionalcampaign finance disclosures. (Id. at *1). Continue Reading »

Reed S. v. State, Department of Health & Social Services

Posted on April 26th, 2023

FAMILY LAWSupreme Court of Alaska (2022)Robert BulkaIn Reed S. v. State, Department of Health & Social Services, 522 P.3d 182 (Alaska 2022), thesupreme court held that collateral consequences allowed it to review an otherwise–moot appeal ofa lower court’s child–in–need–of–aid (CINA) adjudication, and found no clear error in the lowercourt’s ruling that both parents’ conduct necessitated Continue Reading »

Year In Review

United States v. Delpriore

Posted on April 26th, 2023

CONSTITUTIONAL LAWUnited States District Court, District of Alaska (2022)Alex BartlowIn United States v. Delpriore, 2022 WL 17490771 (D. Alaska Oct. 4, 2022), the district court heldthat prohibitions on the possession of firearms by felons continue to be valid after the SupremeCourt’s ruling in New York State Rifle & Pistol Ass’n, Inc. v. Bruen, 142 S. Continue Reading »

Griffith v. Hemphill

Posted on April 26th, 2023

PROPERTY LAWSupreme Court of Alaska (2022)Rachel ReissIn Griffith v. Hemphill, 521 P.3d 584 (Alaska 2022), the supreme court held that tenants’ breachof contract claim against their landlord was timely filed and thus not barred by the statute oflimitations. (Id. at 588). Starting in 2008, two tenants leased commercial property from a landlordin order to operate Continue Reading »

Angelica C. v. Jonathan C.

Posted on April 26th, 2023

FAMILY LAWSupreme Court of Alaska (2022)Sarah CouillardIn Angelica C. v. Jonathan C., 519 P.3d 334 (Alaska 2022), the supreme court held that thesuperior court did not abuse its discretion by finding that a child’s best interests in preserving thefather’s parental rights outweighed the mother’s rights as a victim of sexual abuse by the child’sfather. (Id. Continue Reading »

Aspen American Insurance Co. v. Morrow

Posted on April 26th, 2023

CIVIL PROCEDUREUnited States District Court, District of Alaska (2022)Anighya CrockerIn Aspen American Insurance Co. v. Morrow, 2022 WL 17337913 (D. Alaska 2022), the districtcourt applied the Ninth Circuit’s seven–factor test to partially grant a motion for default judgmentagainst a non–participating party. (Id. at *1). The Lyons were a couple who sold a ship to defendantMorrow, Continue Reading »

Garcia v. Vitus Energy, L.L.C. (Garcia III)

Posted on April 26th, 2023

TORT LAWUnited States District Court, District of Alaska (2022)Jake ShermanIn Garcia v. Vitus Energy, L.L.C., 605 F. Supp. 3d 1188 (D. Alaska 2022), the court held that areasonable jury could find that a principal granted an agent apparent authority by designating himas captain of the principal’s ship. (Id. at 1217). After suffering injuries while being Continue Reading »

Disciplinary Matter Involving Merdes

Posted on April 26th, 2023

ETHICSSupreme Court of Alaska (2022)Alex BartlowIn Disciplinary Matter Involving Merdes, 518 P.3d 727 (Alaska 2022), the supreme court held thata four–year suspension from the practice of law is an appropriate sanction for an attorney’smisconduct when the attorney intentionally defrauded a former client. (Id. at 743). An AlaskaNative corporation hired the attorney on a contingency fee Continue Reading »

Bakalar v. Dunleavy

Posted on April 26th, 2023

EMPLOYMENT LAWUnited States District Court, District of Alaska (2022)Elza BouhassiraIn Bakalar v. Dunleavy, 580 F.Supp.3d 66 (D. Alaska 2022), the district court held that an assistantattorney general’s free speech and associational rights were violated when she was terminated bythe state government. (Id. at 691). The assistant attorney general (AAG) held her position for morethan twelve Continue Reading »

Knolmayer v. McCollum

Posted on April 26th, 2023

CONSTITUTIONAL LAWSupreme Court of Alaska (2022)Flora LipskyIn Knolmayer v. McCollum, 520 P.3d 634 (Alaska 2022), the supreme court held, as a matter offirst impression, that the state statute limiting medical malpractice damages awards violated thestate constitution’s Equal Protection Clause as applied to a claimant who received compensationfrom an insurer exercising a right of subrogation against Continue Reading »

Smith v. Helzer

Posted on April 26th, 2023

ELECTION LAWUnited States District Court, District of Alaska (2022)Kristiana OlsonIn Smith v. Helzer, 2022 WL 2757421 (D. Alaska 2022), the district court denied a request toenjoin the enforcement provisions requiring disclosures for political donations. (Id. at *14). In2020, Alaskans enacted changes to the election system by ballot measure, including additionalcampaign finance disclosures. (Id. at *1). Continue Reading »

Reed S. v. State, Department of Health & Social Services

Posted on April 26th, 2023

FAMILY LAWSupreme Court of Alaska (2022)Robert BulkaIn Reed S. v. State, Department of Health & Social Services, 522 P.3d 182 (Alaska 2022), thesupreme court held that collateral consequences allowed it to review an otherwise–moot appeal ofa lower court’s child–in–need–of–aid (CINA) adjudication, and found no clear error in the lowercourt’s ruling that both parents’ conduct necessitated Continue Reading »