Alaska Superior Court

Nesbett courthouse in Anchorage, Alaska

The Alaska Superior Court is a key component of Alaska's trial court system. It has general jurisdiction. There are forty 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.

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. 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 Judicial qualifications To serve as a judge of the Alaska Superior Court system, these qualifications must be met: Citizen of the United States Resident of Alaska for five years prior to appointment. Licensed to practice law in Alaska at the time of appointment Engaged in the active practice of law for at least five years. See also Courts in Alaska Judicial selection in Alaska Alaska Superior Court judges 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