Verdict . News

•Hawaii Supreme Court accepted certiorari petition filed December 8, 2025

Supreme Court of Hawaii

Hawaii Supreme Court Accepts Retirement Benefits Case Against State ERS

The Hawaii Supreme Court has accepted a writ of certiorari in *Martell v. Employee Retirement System*, bringing a dispute over state employee retirement benefits to the state's highest court. The case involves Linda S. Martell challenging decisions made by Hawaii's Employee Retirement System and its Board of Trustees.

•Case involves dispute between state employee Linda Martell and Hawaii Employee Retirement System

Supreme Judicial Court of Maine

Maine High Court Affirms Solar Project Deadline Denial

The Maine Supreme Judicial Court unanimously affirmed the Public Utilities Commission's denial of Ellsworth ME Solar's petition for a good cause exemption from the 2024 Commercial Operation Date deadline under Maine's Net Energy Billing statute. The court also upheld the Commission's refusal to reopen the record in the case.

•Maine Supreme Judicial Court unanimously affirmed PUC's denial of deadline extension for Ellsworth ME Solar

•Case involves Commercial Operation Date requirements under Maine's Net Energy Billing statute

Supreme Judicial Court of Maine

Maine Supreme Court Upholds Double Murder Conviction of Aaron Aldrich

The Maine Supreme Judicial Court affirmed Aaron Aldrich's conviction on two counts of intentional murder and illegal firearm possession, rejecting his claims that evidentiary rulings and jury instructions deprived him of a fair trial. The court issued its decision on February 5, 2026.

•Maine Supreme Judicial Court affirmed Aaron Aldrich's conviction on two murder counts and illegal firearm possession

•Court rejected claims that evidentiary rulings and suppressed statements deprived defendant of fair trial

Supreme Judicial Court of Maine

Maine Supreme Court Overturns Murder Conviction Over Footprint Evidence

The Maine Supreme Judicial Court vacated Kailie Brackett's murder conviction and ordered a new trial, ruling that the trial court improperly admitted expert testimony about a partial footprint found at the crime scene where victim Kimberly Neptune was stabbed 484 times.

•Maine Supreme Judicial Court vacated Kailie Brackett's murder conviction due to improper admission of footprint expert testimony

•Victim Kimberly Neptune was found stabbed 484 times in her apartment in April 2022

•Delaware Supreme Court unanimously reversed Superior Court ruling denying expungement petition

Delaware Supreme Court

Delaware Supreme Court Reverses DUI Case, Allows Partial Expungement

The Delaware Supreme Court unanimously reversed a lower court decision and ruled that Joseph Cornette can seek expungement of his pardoned assault conviction despite having a related DUI conviction that cannot be expunged. The case clarifies Delaware law on partial expungement following gubernatorial pardons.

•Court held that pardoned convictions can be expunged even when other charges from same case are ineligible

•North Dakota Supreme Court affirmed district court's denial of parental rights termination petition

North Dakota Supreme Court Upholds Father's Parental Rights

The North Dakota Supreme Court affirmed a district court decision denying a petition to terminate a biological father's parental rights in an adoption case. The court found insufficient statutory grounds to override the father's fundamental constitutional right to his child.

•Court reinforced that parental rights are fundamental but not absolute constitutional protections

•North Dakota Supreme Court reversed lower court decision favoring family trusts over state industrial commission

ND Supreme Court Reverses Oil Production Allocation Ruling

The North Dakota Supreme Court reversed a lower court decision in a case involving family trusts challenging the state's allocation of oil production from a well in McKenzie County. The case attracted significant industry attention with multiple energy companies filing amicus briefs.

•Case involved complex oil production allocation dispute in McKenzie County spacing unit

•North Dakota Supreme Court affirmed custody award to David Hughes over Dana Waters' jurisdictional challenge

ND Supreme Court Affirms Father's Custody Win in Interstate Dispute

The North Dakota Supreme Court affirmed a district court's decision granting primary residential responsibility of two children to David Hughes over their mother Dana Waters. Waters had challenged the jurisdiction of the North Dakota court, arguing that proceedings she initiated in California should take precedence.

•Hughes raised Waters' older child as his own despite not being biological father

•17-year-old Cazmere Haskins fatally stabbed Anfernee Economy in Grand Forks parking lot altercation in March 2024

North Dakota Supreme Court Upholds 40-Year Murder Sentence for Teen

The North Dakota Supreme Court affirmed a 40-year prison sentence for Cazmere Haskins, who was 17 when he fatally stabbed Anfernee Economy in a Grand Forks parking lot in March 2024. The court rejected Haskins' appeals challenging both his guilty plea and sentence.

•Haskins received 40-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to murder under plea agreement