Alaska Case Commentaries

Lohrke v. Sorrels: Waiver by Inadequate Briefing and Litigation-Conduct Limits on Attorney’s Fees in Alaska Divorce Property Division

Date: Jan 15, 2026

Lohrke v. Sorrels: Waiver by Inadequate Briefing and Litigation-Conduct Limits on Attorney’s Fees in Alaska Divorce Property Division Introduction Donna Lohrke v. Christopher Sorrels (Alaska Supreme...

Post-Separation Income of a Marital Business Remains Marital; Dissipation May Be Recaptured; Late Corroborative “Rebuttal” Evidence May Be Excluded

Date: Jan 1, 2026

Post-Separation Income of a Marital Business Remains Marital; Dissipation May Be Recaptured; Late Corroborative “Rebuttal” Evidence May Be Excluded Case: Festus K. Jibade v. Olukemi A. Ogunniyi...

Clear and Convincing Evidence and Reasonable Visibility: Alaska Refines Easement by Estoppel and Prescriptive Easement Doctrine in Koponen v. Romanov

Date: Dec 21, 2025

Clear and Convincing Evidence and Reasonable Visibility: Alaska Refines Easement by Estoppel and Prescriptive Easement Doctrine in Koponen v. Romanov I. Introduction The Alaska Supreme Court’s...

Substantive Parental Change, Domestic Violence, and Child Preference in Alaska CINA Terminations: Commentary on Millie T. & Frank L. v. State

Date: Dec 20, 2025

Substantive Parental Change, Domestic Violence, and Child Preference in Alaska CINA Terminations: Commentary on Millie T. & Frank L. v. State I. Introduction This memorandum opinion of the Alaska...

ICWA “Active Efforts,” Reasonable Time To Remedy, And Permanency For Young Indian Children: Commentary On Jada M. v. State of Alaska (Memorandum Opinion)

Date: Dec 4, 2025

ICWA “Active Efforts,” Reasonable Time To Remedy, And Permanency For Young Indian Children: Commentary On Jada M. v. State of Alaska Note: This is a commentary on an Alaska Supreme Court memorandum...

Child Support Liens as De Facto Super‑Priority Claims to Foreclosure Surplus: Commentary on Alaska USA Federal Credit Union v. The Sayer Law Group, P.C.

Date: Nov 29, 2025

Child Support Liens as De Facto Super‑Priority Claims to Foreclosure Surplus: Commentary on Alaska USA Federal Credit Union v. The Sayer Law Group, P.C. I. Introduction This Alaska Supreme Court...

Substantial Compliance, Summary Notice, and Frivolous Constitutional Claims in Municipal Zoning: Commentary on Frank Griswold v. City of Homer (Alaska 2025)

Date: Nov 29, 2025

Substantial Compliance, Summary Notice, and Frivolous Constitutional Claims in Municipal Zoning: Commentary on Frank Griswold v. City of Homer (Alaska 2025) Supreme Court of the State of Alaska,...

No Individual Right to Directly Petition an Investigative Grand Jury: Commentary on Thomas Garber v. Superior Court

Date: Nov 29, 2025

No Individual Right to Directly Petition an Investigative Grand Jury: Commentary on Thomas Garber v. Superior Court Introduction In Thomas Garber v. Superior Court, Third Judicial District, No....

Limits on Prospective Relief and Justiciability in Alaska Prisoner Litigation: Commentary on Raymond Katchatag v. State, Department of Corrections

Date: Nov 28, 2025

Limits on Prospective Relief and Justiciability in Alaska Prisoner Litigation: Commentary on Raymond Katchatag v. State, Department of Corrections Court: Supreme Court of the State of Alaska...

Reaffirming the Validity of Assigned Deeds of Trust and MERS Authority in Alaska Nonjudicial Foreclosures: Commentary on Clinton Hiler v. U.S. Bank

Date: Nov 20, 2025

Reaffirming the Validity of Assigned Deeds of Trust and MERS Authority in Alaska Nonjudicial Foreclosures: Commentary on Clinton Hiler v. U.S. Bank Court: Supreme Court of the State of Alaska...

Reaffirming Rehabilitative Spousal Support And Procedural Protections In Domestic Violence–Divorce Consolidations: Commentary On Rutherford v. Rutherford (Alaska 2025)

Date: Nov 20, 2025

Reaffirming Rehabilitative Spousal Support And Procedural Protections In Domestic Violence–Divorce Consolidations: Commentary On Kyle G. Rutherford v. Melissa E. Rutherford (Alaska 2025) Introduction...

Strict Enforcement of Procurement-Code Exhaustion and Prevailing-Party Fees: Commentary on JBG Memorial, LLC v. State of Alaska

Date: Nov 15, 2025

Strict Enforcement of Procurement-Code Exhaustion and Prevailing-Party Fees: Commentary on JBG Memorial, LLC v. State of Alaska I. Introduction JBG Memorial, LLC v. State of Alaska, Department of...

Limiting Alaska’s Constitutional “Whole‑Project” Analysis to State‑Owned Resources: Commentary on Orutsararmiut Native Council v. Boyle (Donlin Mine Permits)

Date: Nov 15, 2025

Limiting Alaska’s Constitutional “Whole‑Project” Analysis to State‑Owned Resources: Commentary on Orutsararmiut Native Council v. Boyle (Donlin Mine Permits) I. Introduction This consolidated...

Intent, Not Contributions: Domestic Partnership Property Classification in Huang v. Kobbeman

Date: Nov 13, 2025

Intent, Not Contributions: Domestic Partnership Property Classification in Huang v. Kobbeman I. Introduction The Alaska Supreme Court’s memorandum opinion in Catherine Huang v. Aaron Kobbeman (No....

Personal-Use Harvest Is Not “Commerce”: Evenhanded Conservation Closures Upheld Against Dormant Commerce Clause Challenge

Date: Nov 1, 2025

Personal-Use Harvest Is Not “Commerce”: Evenhanded Conservation Closures Upheld Against Dormant Commerce Clause Challenge Case: Cook Inlet Fisherman’s Fund v. Alaska Department of Fish & Game, Alaska...

Mere Situs Is Not “Use” Under Florida UM Coverage: Alaska Supreme Court (Mem. Op.) Affirms No Coverage for Fireworks Injury Launched From a Stationary, Uninsured Trailer

Date: Oct 24, 2025

Mere Situs Is Not “Use” Under Florida UM Coverage: Alaska Supreme Court (Mem. Op.) Affirms No Coverage for Fireworks Injury Launched From a Stationary, Uninsured Trailer Case: Walter M. Elrod and...

Immediate Means Immediate: Facility Refusals Count as State Capacity in Alaska’s Pre‑Evaluation Detention — In re Hospitalization of Tavis J. (Alaska 2025)

Date: Oct 18, 2025

Immediate Means Immediate: Facility Refusals Count as State Capacity in Alaska’s Pre‑Evaluation Detention — In re Hospitalization of Tavis J. (Alaska 2025) Introduction In In the Matter of the...

Forrer v. State of Alaska: Broad “Sustained Yield” Challenges Are Nonjusticiable; Plaintiffs Must Target Specific Agency Actions

Date: Oct 13, 2025

Forrer v. State of Alaska: Broad “Sustained Yield” Challenges Are Nonjusticiable; Plaintiffs Must Target Specific Agency Actions Introduction In Forrer v. State of Alaska (Alaska Supreme Court No....

Expedited APOC Hearings Are Not Final: Alaska Supreme Court Upholds Post‑Hearing Subpoenas and Rejects Res Judicata and Due Process Challenges

Date: Oct 13, 2025

Expedited APOC Hearings Are Not Final: Alaska Supreme Court Upholds Post‑Hearing Subpoenas and Rejects Res Judicata and Due Process Challenges Case: Republican Governors Association; A Stronger...

Enforcing Separation Agreements in Alaska: Capacity, Duress, and Unconscionability as Gatekeepers to Unequal Property Divisions

Date: Oct 10, 2025

Enforcing Separation Agreements in Alaska: Capacity, Duress, and Unconscionability as Gatekeepers to Unequal Property Divisions Case: Burton Haviland Jr. v. Kimberly Haviland Court: Supreme Court of...

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