Alaska's highest court hears Palin appeal

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (CNN) - Alaska's Supreme Court heard oral arguments Wednesday on an appeal by Gov. Sarah Palin's allies to block the Legislature's probe into her firing of her public safety commissioner, but did not immediately hand down a decision.

Palin's Republican allies asked her state's highest court to shut down the investigation. In a brief filed Tuesday afternoon, lawmakers say the effort is meant entirely "to avoid a negative impact on the fortunes of one political party."

Wednesday's hearing comes just two days before Stephen Branchflower, the former Anchorage prosecutor hired to conduct the inquiry, plans to deliver his report at a public meeting of the Legislative Council.

Palin is the Republican nominee for vice president. In August, after she became Sen. John McCain's running mate, five GOP lawmakers sued to block the investigation into her July dismissal of former Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan.