If a state court decides a case on independent and adequate state grounds, the Supreme Court will:
A. not review the federal issues.
B. review the federal issues if they are parallel to the state issues.
C. review all federal issues.
D. vacate the state decision.
Is it B?
I don't think so.
To determine the correct answer, let's break down the options and understand the concept being tested.
When a state court decides a case on "independent and adequate state grounds," it means that the state court bases its decision solely on the interpretation of state laws or the state's constitution. In this situation, the decision is not influenced by federal laws or the U.S. Constitution.
Now let's consider the options:
A. If a state court decides a case on independent and adequate state grounds, the Supreme Court will not review the federal issues. This option aligns with the concept that when a state court's decision is based on state grounds alone, the Supreme Court typically does not intervene. This is because it is the Supreme Court's general practice to respect and defer to the states' interpretations of their own laws.
B. If a state court decides a case on independent and adequate state grounds, the Supreme Court will review the federal issues only if they are parallel to the state issues. This option suggests that the Supreme Court may review the federal issues if they are similar or closely related to the state issues. However, this is not entirely accurate. The Supreme Court usually respects the state court's decision when it is based on independent and adequate state grounds, regardless of whether the federal issues are parallel to the state issues. So this option is not correct.
C. If a state court decides a case on independent and adequate state grounds, the Supreme Court will review all federal issues. This option suggests that the Supreme Court will review any federal issues regardless of the state court's decision. However, as mentioned earlier, the Supreme Court generally defers to state courts' interpretations of state laws when they are based on independent and adequate state grounds. Therefore, this option is not correct.
D. If a state court decides a case on independent and adequate state grounds, the Supreme Court will vacate the state decision. This option suggests that the Supreme Court would overturn or nullify the state court's decision. However, as mentioned earlier, the Supreme Court usually respects the state court's decision when it is based on independent and adequate state grounds. Thus, this option is not correct.
Based on our analysis, the correct answer is A: The Supreme Court will not review the federal issues if a state court decides a case on independent and adequate state grounds.