This case presents two straightforward questions:
1) the limits the Constitution and Congress impose on
the jurisdiction of lower federal courts; and 2) the state
of Hawai'i's sovereign right to enforce its criminal laws.

The first question presented: Did the Ninth Circuit
err in affirming the district court's exercise of appellate
jurisdiction to adjudicate a case brought by a statecourt loser complaining of injuries caused by the
judgment rendered by the state's highest court before
the district court proceedings commenced and inviting
the court to review and reject that judgment?

The second question presented: Did the Ninth
Circuit err in concluding that the state trial court's
decision not to charge the jury on reckless
manslaughter–a lesser-included offense of murder for
which the defendant stood trial–constituted an
acquittal of that offense?

Limits on federal court jurisdiction to review state court judgments