Highlight In Legal Alaska Accounting Forms For Free

The court consists of five justices, one of whom is internally chosen to serve as chief justice for a three-year term. The justices are appointed by the governor of Alaska from slates of candidates approved by the Alaska Judicial Council, an independent commission of Alaskan lawyers and lay citizens.

The Superior Court of Alaska is the trial court of general jurisdiction; the Alaska Court of Appeals hears criminal appeals; and the Alaska Supreme Court is the highest appellate court, hearing primarily civil cases.

The district courts are the primary misdemeanor trial courts, the superior courts are the primary felony trial courts although they also sometimes hear appeals from the district courts, and the supreme court and the court of appeals are the primary appellate courts. Alaska is separated into 4 judicial districts.

The initial term of a new justice is at least three years, after which the justice stands for retention in an uncontested yes-no election. Subsequent terms last ten years. For more information on these elections, visit the Alaska judicial elections page.

To bring a lawsuit, the plaintiff files a document called a complaint with the court. The complaint explains what the dispute is about and states what relief the plaintiff is asking for. The defendant then has a chance to file a document called an answer.

You'll have to bring it within the statute of limitations period for your particular case. For example, the Alaska statute of limitations is three years for contracts and two years for personal injury and personal property damage cases. If you don't file within the proper period, you lose your right to sue.