NCJ Number
204750
Date Published
2003
Length
137 pages
Annotation
This 2003 Annual Report presents information about the Alaska court system.
Abstract
The report is divided into four main sections. The first section presents a profile of the Alaska Court System. Alaska’s four level court system includes the supreme court, the court of appeals, the superior court, and the district court. The Alaska court system serves 586,413 square miles and has 5 supreme court judges, 3 court of appeals judges, 34 superior court judges, and 17 district court judges. Information is presented about the jurisdictions of the different courts and biographies of the judges are provided. The judicial appointment process, judicial retention elections, and budget and fiscal affairs are described. The second section presents the year in review. The four judicial districts are described and information is presented about changes in judicial personnel during 2003. Community outreach by district is discussed and upgrades to judicial facilities are reviewed. New programs, innovations, education, and training during 2003 are recounted. A synopsis of legislative action during 2003 reveals that civil liability was an area of particular focus, with several bills limiting the liability of those engaged in commercial and recreational activities. A description is presented of the law library and the facilities of the Alaska Court System. Within the area of criminal procedure, the Alaska legislature eased the way for law enforcement to petition the court for a search warrant via the telephone or facsimile machine. Other information included in section 2 pertains to fiscal operations, information systems support, the Training and Development Group, judicial education, and special task forces and committees. The third section presents statistical summaries of court activities for fiscal year 2003. During 2003, 147,386 new cases were filed with the Alaska Court System, representing an 8.3 percent increase compared to fiscal year 2002. Statewide filings at the superior court level increased by 2 percent compared with 2002, while filings in district court increased overall by 5 percent. Statewide felony filings increased by 9 percent compared with 2002, while misdemeanor filings increased by 10 percent. Summary information is also presented for dispositions, cases pending, and reasons for cases pending. The final section presents a series of tables showing statistical information regarding the supreme court, the court of appeals, statewide trial courts, superior court, and computerized and noncomputerized district court. Tables