Justice Rabinowitz and Personal Freedom: Evolving a Constitutional Framework

This Article honors the contributions former Chief Justice Jay Rabinowitz has made to Alaskan jurisprudence in the areas of individual privacy and freedom of expression. It begins by tracing the development of the Alaska Supreme Court’s protection of individual rights above and beyond that provided by the federal courts. The Article then provides a thorough analysis of two decisions authored by Justice Rabinowitz, Breese v. Smith and Ravin v. State, which have laid the foundation for heightened protection of privacy and freedom of expression rights in Alaska. Next, the Article discusses the influence and application of these two cases on other privacy and freedom of expression cases, family law cases, and criminal law cases. The Article concludes that Justice Rabinowitz’s seminal and far-reaching decisions have contributed and will continue to contribute to the protection of individual constitutional rights so treasured in Alaska.