Alaska Superior Court
The Alaska Superior Court is a key component of Alaska's trial court system. It has general jurisdiction. There are forty-two Alaska Superior Court judgeships in Alaska's four judicial districts.
Every January, the Chief Justice of the Alaska Supreme Court chooses a superior court judge from each of Alaska's four judicial districts to serve as presiding judge for a one-year renewable term. The presiding judge is responsible for trial court administration within the district. This includes assignment of cases, supervision of court personnel, handling of court business and appointment of magistrates.[1]
Districts
There are four judicial districts in Alaska with 42 Superior Court judges between them.
| District | Area served |
|---|---|
| Alaska First District | Haines, Juneau, Ketchikan Gateway, Prince of Wales-Outer Ketchikan, Sitka, Skagway-Hoonah-Angoon, Wrangell-Petersburg, Yakutat |
| Alaska Second District | Nome, North Slope, Northwest Arctic |
| Alaska Third District | Aleutians East, Aleutians West, Municipality of Anchorage, Bristol Bay, Dillingham, Kenai Peninsula, Kodiak Island, Lake and Peninsula, Matanuska-Susitna, Valdez-Cordova, Yakutat |
| Alaska Fourth District | Bethel, Denali, Fairbanks North Star, Southeast Fairbanks, Wade-Hampton, Yukon-Koyukuk |
Responsibilities
The superior court hears all civil and criminal cases brought within the state as state court cases, with the exception of some rare cases that are taken directly to the Alaska Supreme Court.
According to the court's website, the superior court specifically:
- "is a trial court for both criminal and civil cases
- serves as an appellate court for appeals from civil and criminal cases which have been tried in the Alaska District Court and for appeals from some administrative agencies
- hears cases involving children who have committed crimes or who are abused or neglected
- hears cases involving the property of deceased or incompetent persons
- hears cases involving the involuntary commitment of persons to institutions for the mentally ill
- handles domestic relation matters"[1]
Judicial selection
- See also: Judicial selection in Alaska
The judges of the Alaska Superior Courts are selected through the assisted appointed method. Each justice is appointed from a list of two or more nominees compiled by the Alaska Judicial Council.[2]
The initial term of a new judge is at least three years, after which the justice stands for retention in an uncontested yes-no election. Subsequent terms last six years.[3] For more information on these elections, visit the Alaska judicial elections page.
Qualifications
To serve on this court, a justice must be:
- a U.S. citizen;
- a state resident for at least five years;
- licensed to practice law in the state;
- active in law practice for at least five years; and
- under the age of 70.[4][5]
Chief judge
The presiding judge from each of Alaska's four judicial districts is selected by the supreme court's chief justice. He or she serves in that capacity for one year.[6]
Vacancies
The process of filling interim judicial vacancies is identical to that of filling ones that would occur at the end of a justice's term. The governor appoints a justice from a pool of names provided by the nominating commission. After occupying the seat for at least three years, the appointee runs in an uncontested yes-no retention election and, if retained, will serve a subsequent term of six years.[3]
See also
External links
- About the Alaska Superior Court
- Map of Alaska court venues
- List of Alaska Court Locations by Judicial District
- Anchorage Daily News, "After retirement, one woman left on Superior Court bench," January 9, 2011
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Alaska Courts: Superior Courts
- ↑ Alaska Judicial Council, "Selection Law - Constitutional and Statutory Provisions Concerning Judicial Selection: Alaska Constitution Article IV, Section 5. Nomination and Appointment," accessed March 23, 2023
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Alaska Judicial Council, "AS 15.35.060. Approval or rejection of superior court judge," accessed March 23, 2023
- ↑ Alaska Judicial Council, "AS 22.10.090. Qualifications of judges," accessed March 23, 2023
- ↑ Alaska Judicial Council, "AS 22.25.010. Retirement of Justices and Judges," accessed March 23, 2023
- ↑ American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Alaska," accessed October 2, 2014
Federal courts:
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of Alaska • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of Alaska
State courts:
Alaska Supreme Court • Alaska Court of Appeals • Alaska Superior Court • Alaska District Court
State resources:
Courts in Alaska • Alaska judicial elections • Judicial selection in Alaska
