State v. Alaska Land Title Ass'n

I find that I am unable to agree with the court’s conclusion that the State of Alaska or the Municipality of Anchorage is entitled to claim highway easements in excess of those reserved when the parcels in question were conveyed by patent from the federal government. Before discussing the grounds for my disagreement with the court’s ruling, however, I believe that it will be useful to set forth what I consider to be the significant facts.

The principal question in this appeal is whether the state1 must compensate three landowners for portions of their parcels taken to widen existing roads. The…