Alaska Supreme Court
From Judgepedia
| Alaska Supreme Court |
|---|
|
| Sitting justices |
| Dana Fabe Warren Matthews Robert Eastaugh Walter Carpeneti Daniel Winfree |
| 2008 retention votes |
| Robert Eastaugh |
| Former justices |
| Alaska on Judgepedia |
Contents |
The Alaska Supreme Court is Alaska's court of last resort. It was established in the Alaska Constitution as adopted in the state's first constitutional convention in 1956, becoming operative in 1956 when Alaska officially achieved statehood.
Five justices sit on the court. One of them is elected as the court's Chief Justice by the other justices. The current chief justice is Dana Fabe.
The court hears cases on a monthly basis in Anchorage, approximately quarterly in Fairbanks and Juneau, and as needed in other Alaska communities. The court prefers to hear argument in the city where the case was heard in the trial court.[1]
Jurisdiction
The Court can hear cases previously tried in lower state courts, and also oversees the state's judicial system.
The Supreme Court is required to accept appeals from previous decisions made by any superior court regarding civil issues, and including cases that originated in administrative agencies. The court has the option, though, to hear appeals for criminal cases or petitions. In order for a criminal appeal to be heard, the appropriate appeals court must certify that the case involves a significant question of constitutional law, or it must be an issue of substantial public interest. The Supreme Court can choose whether or not to accept petitions "from non-final decisions by the superior court in civil cases and from final decisions of the superior court on review of the distric court's decision in civil matters."[2]
The court's justices
Appointment process
Alaska's supreme court justices are chosen using the Commission-selection, political appointment method of judicial selection. The Alaska Judicial Council forwards a list of its nominees to the governor, who must choose a name from the list within 45 days to fill any vacancy. Justices serve 10-year terms on the court. Appointed justices are then subject to a retention election at the state's first general election that is more than 3 years after the appointment. After that, the five justices are subject to a retention elections every ten years.
Qualifications
To be eligible to serve as a justice on the court, four standards must be met:
- The prospective judge must a citizen of the United States.
- The nominee must have been a resident of Alaska for at least five years prior to his or her appointment.
- The nominee must have had a license to practice law in Alaska at the time of appointment.
- The nominee must have been actively engaged in law practice for eight years prior to the appointment.
Current justices
| Name | Appointed | Term expires | Appointed by | Party affiliation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warren Matthews | 1977 | 2010 | Jay Hammond (Republican) | - |
| Robert Eastaugh | 1994 | 2018 | Walter Hickel (Republican) | - |
| Dana Fabe | 1996 | 2010 | Steve Cowper (Democrat) | - |
| Walter Carpeneti | 1998 | 2012 | Tony Knowles (Democrat) | - |
| Daniel Winfree | 2007 | 2010 | Sarah Palin (Republican) | - |
Removal from office
Apart from retirement, judges in Alaska can be removed in one of two ways.
- First, they may be suspended, removed from office, or censured by the Supreme Court upon the recommendation of the Alaska Commission on Judicial Conduct. [3]
- Secondly, they may be impeached by two thirds of the Alaska Senate and subsequently convicted by two thirds of the House of Representatives.
External links
- Alaska Court System
- Alaska Bar Association
- Alaska Case Law Service
- Alaska 2008 judicial retention information (PDF). Scroll to pages 78-84.
References
- ↑ The Alaska Court System: Supreme Court
- ↑ Supreme Court Jurisdiction
- ↑ Alaska Commission on Judicial Conduct
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