Opinion ID: 1467361
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Preservation of First Amendment Issue

Text: [¶ 15] An issue is raised and preserved if there was a `sufficient basis in the record to alert the court and any opposing party to the existence of that issue.' St. Francis De Sales Fed. Credit Union v. Sun Ins. Co. of N.Y., 2002 ME 127, ¶ 22, 818 A.2d 995, 1002 (quoting Chasse v. Mazerolle, 580 A.2d 155, 156 (Me.1990)). Although the Commission asserts, on appeal, that the letter submitted by Verizon in September 2003 was procedurally improper, there is nothing in the record to indicate that the Commission notified Verizon that the First Amendment issue was not properly raised. Even if the letter was not part of the official record, its contents presented the constitutional argument to the Commission. Because the contents of the letter were sufficient to make the Commission aware of the looming free speech issue and because Verizon also raised its First Amendment concerns at the only case conference held in the matter, Verizon adequately raised and preserved the issue on appeal. See St. Francis De Sales Fed. Credit Union, 2002 ME 127, ¶ 22, 818 A.2d at 1002; Chasse, 580 A.2d at 156.