THE ALASKA SUPREME COURT, the UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT, and RETROACTIVITY Paul E.Mcgreal*
A TALE OF TWO COURTS: THE ALASKA SUPREME COURT, THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT, AND RETROACTIVITY Paul E.McGreal* SINTRODUCTION Whether out of homage to superior wisdom, judicial economy, desire for uniformity, or simple agreement, many state courts look to decisions of the United States Supreme Court for guidance on state constitutional issues or other issues where an analogy from federal law might be helpful. Many state supreme courts, such as the Alaska Supreme Court expressly reserve the power to interpret protections under their state constitutions more broadly than similar protections under the federal Constitution. At times, those courts that faithfully adhere to this republican spirit find sharp division within their ranks.2 Copyright © 1992 by Alaska Law Review * B.A., Williams College, 1989; I.D., Southern Methodist University School of Law, 1992. Law Clerk to the Honorable Warren W. Matthews, Alaska Supreme Court, 1992-93. 1. See Roberts v. State, 458 P.2d 340, 342 (Alaska 1969) ("We are not bound in expounding the Alaska Constitution's Declaration of Rights by the decisions of the United States Supreme Court, past or future, which expound identical or closely similar provisions of the United States Constitution."); Baker v. City of Fairbanks, 471 P.2d 386,402 (Alaska A.2d 793, 800 (N. 1990); the1970) highest ("We court need thenot he stand land."); by idly see andalso passively, State v. Hempele, waiting for576 constitutional direction from Statev. Boland, 800 P.2d 111 1114 319(Wash. S.E.2d 1990); 254, Pool 260 v. (N.C. Superior 1984). Court, 677 P.2d 261, 271 (Ariz.Professor 1984); Lawrence State v.
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