Official Election Pamphlet - Alaska Elections State Division of Elections

The Alaska Judicial Council Independently
Evaluates the Performance of Judges and
Recommends to Voters Whether Judges
Should be Retained in Office
Alaskans choose their judges through a merit selection system and vote every few years on whether to
keep them on the bench. The Alaska Judicial Council is a non-partisan citizens’ commission established by
the Alaska Constitution, independent of the Alaska Court System and the Alaska Commission on Judicial
Conduct. The constitution requires the Judicial Council to nominate only the best-qualified people to the
Governor for appointment to judgeships. The framers provided Alaskans with a non-partisan, merit-based
system of judicial selection. The constitutional requirement that judges periodically appear on the ballot
assures that judges remain accountable to the public.
To assist the public in making informed decisions, Alaska law requires the Judicial Council to
independently evaluate judges’ performance and authorizes the Council to recommend to voters whether
judges should be retained in office. The Judicial Council reviews judges’ integrity, diligence, legal ability,
fairness, demeanor, ability to manage their caseloads, and overall performance of their judicial responsibilities
in and out of the courtroom. State law requires the Judicial Council to publish its evaluations in the Voters’
Pamphlet. Summaries of the Council’s evaluations of judges standing in the November 2012 election appear
on the following pages. Each judge also may pay for a page of biographical information that he or she prepares.
Summary of Alaska Judicial Council Recommendations
In 2012 the Judicial Council evaluated one supreme court justice, one court of
appeals judge, and twenty-four trial court judges. The Council found that all are
QUALIFIED and recommends a YES vote on their retention.
Judicial Council Evaluation Procedures
Surveys - The Judicial Council surveyed thousands of Alaskans about the performance of the judges on
the ballot including peace and probation officers, court employees, attorneys, jurors, social workers, and
guardians ad litem. An independent contractor handled the surveys for the Judicial Council, to assure
objectivity in the findings.
Judge and Counsel Questionnaires - Each judge standing for retention returned a self-evaluation
questionnaire to the Judicial Council. The questionnaire included lists of recent cases. The Council asked each
attorney in each case to provide detailed comments about the judge’s performance in that particular case.
Other Records - Council staff reviewed other records, including conflict of interest annual statements filed
with the Alaska Public Offices Commission and separate forms filed with the court system; court personnel
records; a report on any salary warrants withheld for untimely decisions; and judicial disciplinary matters
before the Commission on Judicial Conduct. The Council also reviewed the number of peremptory challenges
filed against a judge and the number of reversals on appeal. The Alaska Judicial Observers, an independent
group of community-based volunteer court observers, provided information to the Council about the retention
judges who they had evaluated.
Public Hearings and Comment - The Council held statewide public hearings for all judges standing for
retention, using the legislature’s teleconference network and public meeting rooms. Statewide newspaper
ads encouraged public participation.
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2012 REGION III