Are Alaska Court Records Public?

Public access to court records in the State of Alaska is regulated mainly by two State laws; the Alaska Public Records Act (APRA) and the Access to Court Records Rule. According to the Alaska Public Records Act, state and municipal agencies may allow the public to access public records in their custody. Courts in the State of Alaska are state agencies, and as such, court records are accessible to the general public unless the law specifies otherwise. As stipulated by the Supreme Court of Alaska, access to court records is a fundamental right of both the State's citizens and residents.

The Access to Court Records Rule is found under Rule 37.5 of the Alaska Rules of Administration, adopted in 1982. It states that access to court records is the same for all members of the public, as provided by the rules. It also stipulates that the exclusion of a court record from public access, whether in part or in full, must be properly indicated. The indication of the exclusion and not the excluded content must also be publicly accessible.

However, the law provides greater access for certain entities who are considered not to be members of the public. The level of access depends on their functions in the judicial system of the State. Such entities include the parties to a case regarding their court case records and personnel of the court who seek the records only for purposes related to case processing. They also include public agencies who access court records based on definitions from other statutes, policies, or orders, and governmental and private entities assisting the court in the provision of court services.

How Do I Find Court Records in Alaska

The first step to take when trying to obtain court records in Alaska is to ascertain the particular courthouse keeping the records. A court record in Alaska is usually kept by the Clerk or Records Department of the court where the case is filed. Requesters may seek to view or inspect the records or obtain copies of the record information. Inspection of court records must be done within the court's working hours and must follow the Court Administrative Director's guidelines.

To obtain copies of court records, interested entities may submit a request form to the Records Department or the Clerk of the court involved. The request forms for different courts may be obtained as follows:

• TF-311 FBKS for case files from the Fairbanks Trial Courts
• TF-311 PA for case files from Palmer Trial Courts
• TF-311 ANCH for case files from Trial Courts in Anchorage, Saint Paul Island, and Sand Point
• TF-311 for records from all other locations

Information required on the form includes the requester's name, agency, phone number, case name, case number, case documents applied for, preferred means of payment and collection, etc. Instructions on the forms indicate that omitting any required field may elongate the request's processing time. Requestors may submit the request form to the court via mail, email, or in person.

To submit in person, interested entities may visit the Clerk's office in the courthouse where the case was filed. The Clerk may give further instructions on how to process the request. The physical address and contact details of all the courts in Alaska are provided in the Court Directory on the Alaska Court System website. However, due to the effects of COVID-19, requesters are advised to explore other remote options. The in-person request should only be used when it is the only available option.

Requestors may also submit court record requests to the court via their respective mails. For online access, requestors may also obtain court records by submitting the request forms via email. The mail and email information of the courts are also available on the Court Directory. To view a court's contact information, click on that particular court's link on the Court Directory page.

Requesters are required to indicate the type of documents requested. If the information is not specified, the requester will receive plain copies by default. The type of document specified in a court record request determines the processing fee that will be charged. Below is a breakdown of the fees according to the documents requested.

• For Plain copies, the fee is $10 for the first document and $3 for subsequent copies requested at the same time.
• For Certified copies, a fee of $10 is required for the first copy. Additional copies of the same document cost $3 each, provided the requests were made at the same time.
• For Exemplified or Authenticated copies, each document attracts a fee of $15.
• Requests that require research attract a fee of $30 per hour.

Interested entities may also request copies of court records in audio recordings. Such requests are processed by the court where the case was heard and at a fee of $20 per CD. The forms for audio recording requests are different from the ones for case files. Below is a listing of the audio recording request forms for different courts.

• TF-304 ANCH for courts in Anchorage, Saint Paul Island, and Sand Point
• TF-304 FBKS for courts in Fairbanks
• TF-304 PA for courts in Palmer
• TF-304 for courts in all other locations

Audio recordings request forms may be submitted to the appropriate Court Clerk either in person or via mail. Requesters may find the address and contact information of courts in Alaska on their official website. Authorized entities may also request search Warrant records by obtaining and submitting the form to the appropriate quarters.

Considered open to citizens of the United States, public records are available through both traditional government sources and third-party websites and organizations. In many cases, third-party websites make the search easier as they are not limited geographically or by technological limitations. They are considered a good place to start when looking for a specific record or multiple records. In order to gain access to these records, interested parties must typically provide:

• The name of the person listed in the record. Juveniles are typically exempt from this search method.
• The last known or assumed location of the person listed in the record. This includes cities, counties, and states.

While third-party sites offer such services, they are not government-sponsored entities, and record availability may vary on these sites when compared to government sources.

How Do Alaska Courts Work

The Alaska Court System is responsible for the settlement of legal disputes in the State of Alaska. It comprises all the courts at the State level in Alaska and is also known as the Alaska State Judiciary. Courts in the State of Alaska hear and decide different cases based on their different jurisdictions. The courts' decisions are regulated by the law to ensure fairness, accuracy, transparency, and integrity in judgment.

The Alaska State Judiciary consists of two major categories of courts. These are the Appellate Courts and the Trial Courts. The Appellate Courts consist of the Alaska State Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals. The Trial Courts consist of the Alaska Superior Court and the District Courts.

In the State of Alaska, most court cases originate from the Trial Courts. The District Courts hear and decide cases within its limited jurisdiction. History shows that they are the busiest among all the levels of courts in the State of Alaska. If the District Court's judgment is appealed, the appeal is sent to the Superior Court, which is the trial court of general jurisdiction. For criminal cases, appeals may go directly to the Court of Appeals from the District Court under the law's exceptions. There are about 23 District Court Judges throughout the four judicial districts in Alaska.

Superior Courts have the legal right to hear and decide all kinds of civil and criminal cases. However, it does not hear cases that may typically be heard and decided by the District Courts. Rather, it handles appeals from the District Courts when the parties do not find the District Court ruling satisfactory. Cases that are appealed from Superior Courts are decided by the Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court. A total of about 42 Superior Court Judges preside over the Superior Courts throughout the State of Alaska.

Above the Superior Court's jurisdiction is the Alaska State Court of Appeals. The Court of Appeals has the jurisdiction to handle criminal case appeals from the District Courts. It also decides appeals such as merit and sentence appeals from the Superior Court. However, the Court of Appeals reserves the right to exercise its discretion in deciding which case to hear from the lower courts.

The highest level of court in Alaska is the State Supreme Court. It has the final jurisdiction over appeals from the lower courts and oversees the State Judiciary administration. Only the United States federal courts may be able to alter these decisions. There are five justices of the Supreme Court, with one of the justices elected by others as the chief justice. Despite being the highest court in Alaska, the Supreme Court does not have a discretionary right over which appeals to handle.  

What Are Civil Court and Small Claims in Alaska?

Civil cases refer to lawsuits between entities, usually involving monetary claims. It may be between individuals, an individual and an organization, or between organizations. Examples of such cases include breach of contract cases, evictions, customer complaints against businesses, and landlord-tenant disputes.

In the State of Alaska, most civil cases are heard and decided by the District Courts. The Alaska Rules of Civil Procedure govern the judgment of civil cases. The monetary claim in civil disputes under the District Courts’ jurisdiction must not be more than $100,000. The Superior Court hears appeals from the District Courts over civil cases. When the Superior Court judgment over civil cases is appealed, the Court of Appeals decides the appeal.

Small claims cases are simpler civil cases in which the plaintiff seeks to recover monetary or property claims worth not more than $10,000. They are heard and decided by the Alaska Small Claims Court, a subdivision of the District Courts. Anyone who decides to file a case with claims of more than $10,000 must forgo the amount excess of the limit. Court costs or interests are not calculated as part of the $10,000 limit. However, certain cases are not permitted to be filed as small claims cases. They include:

• Evictions
• Claims filed against the Alaska State Government or the Federal Government
• Recovery of real property possession
• Disputes involving real property title
• An injunctive relief

Only persons who are up to 18 years and above can file small claims cases. Plaintiffs under 18 years may be permitted to file a small claims case only with either a guardian or a parent's assistance. In the State of Alaska, small claims cases are decided by the District Courts. They are basically handled under the less strict Small Claims Rule of Procedure.

Parties to a small claims case are permitted to represent themselves. This implies that the services of attorneys are not necessary, unlike in formal civil lawsuits. Anyone interested in filing a small claims case may start by obtaining the Small Claims Case form from the State Judiciary official website. The plaintiff may then follow the steps specified by the Rules of Procedure for Small Claims to complete the process.

What Are Appeals and Court Limits

An Appeal is a formal request made by a party to a court case for a review of the court's decision. Usually, appeals are made from a lower-level court to a higher level court. The appellant seeks to persuade the higher court to reconsider the lower court's ruling for a possible reversal. An appeal is ideally sent via a written document referred to as a "brief." The brief usually states the legal premises upon which the appealing party seeks the decision review.

The Alaska court system provides that cases appealed from the courts of limited jurisdiction are heard by the Superior Court. Cases appealed from the courts of general jurisdiction are then sent to the appellate courts. Generally, an appellate court does not hold fresh hearings for a case. Instead, it conducts a thorough review to ascertain whether the decisions appealed to it are correct according to the law's provisions. Appellate courts may decide to affirm, modify, or reverse the decision based on its findings and opinions.

What Are Alaska Judgment Records?

Alaska judgment records are court documents containing information about a court’s decision on contested matters in its jurisdiction. A judgment is the court’s declaration of an individual’s rights and the appropriate remedy for infringing on those rights. It may also order a litigant to perform specific responsibilities or penalties. This judgment becomes binding when the court clerk enters it into the court’s record.

The Alaska Public Records Act (APRA) and the Access to Court Records Rule make court records, including judgment records, available to interested persons. Generally, obtaining a judgment record involves visiting the clerk’s office in person during regular business hours. There, the individual must submit a request to view the court document — courts have standard request forms for this purpose. Upon receiving the request, the administrative staff shall search court archives and retrieve the requested document. Then, the staff shall make regular copies of the judgment record unless the requester specifically requests certified copies. Either way, the individual must have the necessary details to facilitate a search, e.g., the case number and litigants’ names, and pay the associated fees. Cash, money order, certified check, and credit cards are acceptable payment methods.

Persons who obtain Alaska judgment records can expect to see the litigants’ names, the judge’s name, and judgment date. In addition, judgment records contain the specific claims of the parties involved (civil cases) or the charges against the defendant (criminal cases), as well as the issued judgment in the case of interest.

What are Alaska Bankruptcy Records?

Alaska bankruptcy records are a list that contains financial information of people and businesses that have filed for bankruptcy in Alaska. Entities that have incurred debts beyond a manageable threshold may seek help from the Government in paying their debts. This happens when they lack the financial capacity to offset their debt or need a flexible structure to repay their debts.

People and companies file for bankruptcy when their assets and income are valued less or equal to the value of their debts. Filing for bankruptcy in Alaska is voluntary. In some cases, a creditor may request the court to pronounce a person bankrupt.

The United States Bankruptcy Court, District of Columbia sits on bankruptcy cases in Alaska. It is a federal court because bankruptcy cases fall under the jurisdiction of federal courts. However, Alaska’s laws are imperative in determining which properties the debtor can keep. Alaska bankruptcy records are part of legal proceedings and can be accessed by the public. This is done in person at any of the court offices located at the addresses below.

Anchorage

605 W. 4th Ave, Suite 138

Anchorage, AK 99501

(907) 271-2655

Toll-free (800) 859-8059

Fairbanks

101 12th Ave, Room 332

Fairbanks, AK 99701

(907) 456-0349

Toll-free (866) 243-3813

Juneau

This location is currently not staffed.

Please contact the Anchorage office.

(907) 271-2655

Toll-free (800) 859-8059

The bankruptcy records in Alaska can also be accessed all day round via the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) service. While most financial information will be available to anybody, sensitive information such as social security numbers, residential addresses, and dates of birth will not be accessible.

Interested and eligible persons may request records of bankruptcy proceedings, Alaska Liens, judgments, contracts, and related documents pursuant to the provisions of the Alaska public records information law.

How Do I Find My Case Number In Alaska

A case number is a unique identifier of a court case. It is designed in such a way that it is distinct from all other case numbers. Case numbers are useful in the process of looking up or obtaining copies of court case information. Also, they readily provide some information about court cases, such as the case type, date/year of filing, etc.

To obtain the case number for a case in Alaska, the requester may use the Name Search option on the respective online portals. For case files from the trial courts, the user may gain access via the CourtView web portal. For case records from the appellate courts, interested persons may use the Appellate Courts Case Management System. Upon a successful search, the user may obtain the case number as part of the systems' case information.

Can You Look Up Court Cases in Alaska

The Alaska State Court System provides online access to court case information through the CourtView web portal. The online portal guarantees access to information about court cases from the Alaska State Trial Courts. There are three search options available for obtaining case information via CourtView. Users may either search by case number, by name, or by Ticket/Citation Number.

To look up court case information by case number, follow these simple steps.

• Visit the CourtView website.
• After going through the instructions on the page, click on the blue "Search Case" button.
• The Case Number Search is the default search criteria. Enter the case number for the case record and click on Search.
• Follow the prompt and complete the process.

For a case search by name, follow these simple steps.

• On the CourtView website, click on the Search Case button.
• Click on the Name tab to access the Name Search option.
• Fill the form with the appropriate information and click on Search. You can also search for a case by Company Name. Some other additional options on the page include case type, party type, case status, file date range, etc.

For case search by ticket number, below are the recommended steps.

• On the Search Case page, click on the Tickets/Citation tab to access the Ticket Search Option.
• You may search for case information by providing any of the following information:
  • Ticket number
  • Drivers License and State issued
  • Vehicle License and State issued
• Click on the Search button and follow the prompts to complete the process.

Alternatively, users may access court case information via the Alaska Appellate Courts Case Management System. The Case Search facility allows the user to search case information using three different criteria. The search options include case number, party name, and attorney name. To obtain case information via the Case Management System, follow the steps listed below.

• Visit the Case Management System Portal.
• From the list of search options available, click on the desired criteria.
• Fill in the required information and click on Search.

Does Alaska Hold Remote Court Trials

Due to the increasing concern over the rate of spread of COVID-19, courts in Alaska are permitted to hold remote trials whenever applicable. The permission was reiterated in a special order released by the Supreme Court of Alaska’s Chief Justice on November 25, 2020.

According to the court order, in-person jury trials for civil, criminal, and grand proceedings have been suspended. However, parties may send a request to the presiding judge to permit remote jury trials. The request may be granted provided that it is by agreement between the parties. Such remote trials may be conducted via videoconferencing. The order stipulated that all other court proceedings may be held via teleconferencing or videoconferencing.

What Is the Alaska Supreme Court?

The Supreme Court of Alaska is the court at the apex of appellate jurisdiction in the State. It has the right to make the ultimate decision over court cases in the State of Alaska. The Supreme Court also provides administrative rules for all the courts in the State. It is headed by the Chief Justice. The Chief Justice may appoint an administrative director who supervises the administrative operations of the State Courts.

The Supreme Court also oversees the activities of the Alaska Bar Association. The association is responsible for conducting the admission of new attorneys into the State Judiciary. It also oversees the disciplinary processes for the attorneys under its authority. All these functions are carried out under the supervision of the Supreme Court.

Alaska Court of Appeals

The Alaska Court of Appeals is the intermediate appellate court of the State. It is presided over by a Chief Judge who has two associate judges. It reserves the right to hear criminal case appeals sent to it from the Superior Courts and, in some cases, the District courts.

Alaska Superior Courts

The Alaska Superior Court is also referred to as the court of general jurisdiction. It may decide appeals from the District Court over certain civil and criminal legal disputes. Cases that may be heard by the Superior Court include cases involving juvenile delinquency, child in need of aid, and matters of domestic relations.

Alaska District Courts

The District Court of the State of Alaska hears and decides misdemeanors and violations of city ordinances. The Court has the right to hear civil and small claims cases. It may also hear emergency cases involving children, issue arrest and search warrants, and serve summonses.