The ruling overturned a decision of the federal appeals court here.
A ruling in his favor could overturn the results on the water.
The ruling overturned a lower court's decision that had sent shock waves throughout Alaska.
The 4-to-2 ruling overturns decisions by lower courts that dismissed the case.
The ruling overturned a 1998 award totaling $7,260 for the women, who appealed, saying that was not enough.
The ruling overturned a decision by a divided three-judge panel last year.
The ruling did not overturn the state initiatives or address any question of state law.
The ruling overturned the conviction of a grocery store owner who had a loaded gun in his pocket.
Judge Alito's ruling overturned a federal district judge's decision that would have given the claimants a trial.
That ruling overturned an earlier ballot measure that would have expanded the $1.4 billion annual industry.