Ladd v. Alaska

How later courts describe this case

• indicating that on remand, petitioner would need to establish both that uncalled witnesses were available to counsel and that their testimony would have been helpful to petitioner's case
• affirming a district court decision which applied res judicata to bar a section 1983 suit based on a defense that was available in a state court suit to quiet title
• “federal courts should defer action only if there is some reasonable probability” that state court would entertain claim
• exhaustion inquiry will not be stayed by a state prosecutor’s willingness to have federal court reach the merits
• court need not decide whether to follow Galtieri doctrine but notes “we have yet to be persuaded of its correctness”
• no competency hearing indicated when no psychiatrist expressed doubts as to petitioner's competency, petitioner's counsel expressed no worries and the petitioner exhibited "impressive demeanor and extensive vocabulary"
• emphasizing “necessity for strict adherence to the exhaustion requirement”
• state's waiver operative in interest of justice and expedition