State v. Dobrova

OPINION

MATTHEWS, Justice.

The question presented is whether a trial court has the authority to admit to bail a convicted defendant who is appealing his sentence, but not his conviction. The court of appeals held that trial courts have inherent authority to permit bail during sentence appeals. Dobrova v. State, 674 P.2d 834 (Alaska App.1984). We agree for the reasons expressed by the court of appeals.

At common law, bail decisions including questions of bail pending appeal were considered to be part of the inherent power of the courts.1 Whether that inherent power in Alaska is subject to…