Opinion ID: 765960
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Application of Issue Preclusion

Text: 8  `It is now settled that a federal court must give to a state-court judgment the same preclusive effect as would be given that judgment under the law of the state in which the judgment was rendered.'  Id. (quoting Migra, 465 U.S. at 81). 3 Therefore, Alaska law with regard to issue preclusion applies tothe determination of the preclusive effect of the O'Callaghan case. Under Alaska law, 9 issue preclusion prohibits a party from re-litigating an issue where: (1) the party against whom the preclusion is employed was a party to or in privity with a party to the first action; (2) the issue precluded from re-litigation is identical to the issue decided in the first action; (3) the issue was resolved in the first action by a final judgment on the merits; and (4) the determination of the issue was essential to the final judgment. 10 Wilson v. Municipality of Anchorage, 977 P.2d 713, 726 (Alaska 1999); Jackinsky v. Jackinsky, 894 P.2d 650, 654 (Alaska 1995). 11 The Republican Party does not and cannot contest elements (1), (3), and (4). However, it does argue that the issues in this case are not identical to the ones decided in O'Callaghan due to events occurring after that case was decided which change the balance evaluated in O'Callaghan. Specifically, the Republican Party points to the national Republican Party's passage of National Rule 34(f), which provides that no candidate nominated under a system which allows persons who are participating in the selection of nominees of other parties to participate in the selection of Republican nominees will be recognized as a nominee of the Republican party. It further provides that if a state law or state party rule provides for the selection of a Republican nominee in violation of this rule, the Republican nominee will be selected by convention, unless a state party rule provides specifically to the contrary. 4 Another event which changes the issues involved in this case, according to the Republican Party, is Alaska's 1998 gubernatorial primary election, which the Republican Party asserts shows the dangerous effects of cross-over voting. 12 Restatement (Second) of Judgments S 27 cmt. c (1982) 5 sets forth four factors to be considered in determining whether the issue in a proceeding is identical to an issue previously litigated: 13 Is there a substantial overlap between the evidence or argument to be advanced in the second proceeding and that advanced in the first? [2] Does the new evidence or argument involve application of the same rule of law as that involved in the prior proceeding? [3] Could pretrial preparation and discovery relating to the matter presented in the first action reasonably be expected to have embraced the matter sought to be presented in the second? [4] How closely related are the claims involved in the two proceedings? 14 Using these elements as guidelines, it is clear that the issues in this case are identical to those decided in O'Callaghan. First, there is substantial overlap in the evidence and arguments, with the only differences being the two changes in circumstances described above. In addition, the same rule of law, a balancing test evaluating the interests of the State and the interests of the parties, would apply to both proceedings. 6 Finally, the claims involvedin the two proceedings are entirely based on a determination of whether of not Alaska's blanket primary is constitutional. 15 The changes set forth by the Republican Party do not change the conclusion that the issues in this case are identical to those resolved in O'Callaghan. For example, the Republican Party National Rule 34(f) is intended to advance the same interests identified in O'Callaghan--reducing the effect of raiding and promoting party accountability--and the Republican Party does not identify any new interests which the rule seeks to achieve. Moreover, while the Republican Party argues that it may not be able to place any candidates recognized as Republican candidates by the national party on the general ballot, the state party can avoid this result by adopting contrary rules for the selection of its nominee which conform to Alaska law. Finally, the national Republican Party has thus far not applied this rule to prevent a candidate from being recognized as a nominee of the party. Therefore, the passage of Rule 34(f) does not foreclose the application of issue preclusion in this case. 16 Similarly, the facts of the 1998 primary election do not preclude the application of issue preclusion in this case. The court in O'Callaghan acknowledged that there was merit to the position that the danger of raiding exists under a blanket primary. See 914 P.2d at 1261. However, the court concluded that the associational burdens on the political parties were outweighed by the state's interests in a blanket primary. See id. at 1261-63. Evidence of cross-over voting in the 1998 primary does not affect this analysis. 7 This is particularly true because the Republican Party cites numerous examples where cross-over voting may have affected primaries which took place before O'Callaghan was decided. Therefore, we conclude that the issues that the district court found to be precluded are identical to those decided in O'Callaghan, and that all of the elements set forth under Alaska law for applying issue preclusion on the basis of O'Callaghan are satisfied in this case.