Alaska Supreme Court Decisions

After Alaska became a state in 1959, the Alaska Constitution created the Alaska Supreme Court. While its central location is in Anchorage, where it hears arguments monthly, the Alaska Supreme Court also hears arguments in Fairbanks, Juneau, and other locations less regularly. Generally, the justices will hear arguments in the location of the trial court in which the case was originally decided.

The Alaska Supreme Court must review any appeal of a civil case in an Alaska Superior Court or a decision made by an administrative agency. The Court may hear an appeal of a criminal case if the lower court certifies that it involves an issue of substantial public interest or a significant question of constitutional law. Other matters that the Alaska Supreme Court may review include non-final decisions by lower courts in civil and criminal cases, attorney disciplinary issues, and state law questions that arise in a case in a federal court.

The Alaska Supreme Court consists of five justices. When a position needs to be filled, the Alaska Judicial Council will compile a list of nominees, from which the Governor of Alaska must choose the new justice within 45 days. To be eligible for nomination, a candidate must be a U.S. citizen, a resident of Alaska for the last five years, licensed to practice in Alaska, and an actively practicing attorney for the last eight years. Once a justice has been selected, they will serve for at least three years, and then Alaska citizens will vote on whether the justice should be retained. After this initial election, each justice will go through another retention election every 10 years. A justice can be removed by being impeached by two-thirds of the Alaska Senate and convicted by two-thirds of the Alaska House of Representatives. They also can be removed, suspended, or censured at the discretion of the Supreme Court, based on a recommendation by the Alaska Commission on Judicial Conduct.

Browse Opinions From the Alaska Supreme Court

Recent Decisions From the Alaska Supreme Court
Steven C. Levi v. State of Alaska (Unpublished)
Date: March 13, 2024
Docket Number: S-18692
State of Alaska v. Mckelvey  
Date: March 8, 2024
Docket Number: S-17910

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court of the State of Alaska considered whether law enforcement officers violated the Alaska Constitution by conducting warrantless aerial surveillance of a private property with high-powered optics to…

Daniel Butts v. Katherine Lemaster (Unpublished)
Date: March 6, 2024
Docket Number: S-18367
Helen M. v. Breandan C. (Unpublished)
Date: March 6, 2024
Docket Number: S-18441
Vazquez v. Dahlstrom  
Date: March 1, 2024
Docket Number: S-18619

Justia Opinion Summary: This case revolves around the eligibility of Jennie Armstrong, the winning candidate of Alaska’s House District 16 2022 general election. The losing candidate, Liz Vazquez, along with four House District 16 voters,…

Lans Saxon v. Yuliya Saxon (Unpublished)
Date: February 28, 2024
Docket Number: S-18520
Dinh v. Raines  
Date: February 23, 2024
Docket Number: S-18262

Justia Opinion Summary: In this case, tenants Matthew Raines and Melissa Clayton complained to their landlord, Tuyen Dinh, about the habitability of their rented unit, particularly due to issues with their utilities and the presence of…

Cory R. v. Brittany R. (Unpublished)
Date: February 21, 2024
Docket Number: S-18616
Societe Financial, LLC v. MJ Corporation  
Date: February 16, 2024
Docket Number: S-18276

Justia Opinion Summary: In the case before the Supreme Court of the State of Alaska, MJ Corporation, the owner of an automated teller machine (ATM), sued Societe Financial, LLC, an ATM processor, and its owner, James Dainis, for breach of…

Baker v. Duffus  
Date: February 16, 2024
Docket Number: S-18504

Justia Opinion Summary: In this case, Lee Baker and Kenneth Duffus were partners in a real estate development company, Harvest Properties, LLC. Baker was accused of defrauding the company, leading to a lawsuit from the company's members for…

State of Alaska v. Lane  
Date: February 9, 2024
Docket Number: S-17943

Justia Opinion Summary: In the case of Brett Lane v. the State of Alaska, Department of Family & Community Services, Office of Children’s Services, the Supreme Court of the State of Alaska affirmed the lower court's decision denying the Office…

The opinions published on Justia State Caselaw are sourced from individual state court sites. These court opinions may not be the official published versions, and you should check your local court rules before citing to them. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site, or the information linked to on the state site.

Some case metadata and case summaries were written with the help of AI, which can produce inaccuracies. You should read the full case before relying on it for legal research purposes.

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