Alaska Death Penalty Proceedings: Appointment is a process in which a court is asked to appoint a lawyer for a defendant in a death penalty case. This process is necessary when the defendant does not have the financial means to retain a lawyer and/or the court has determined that the defendant's current attorney is not qualified to handle the case. The court will appoint an attorney to represent the defendant in the death penalty proceedings. There are two types of Alaska Death Penalty Proceedings: Appointment: Capital Defender Appointment and Appointment of Counsel. The Capital Defender Appointment is for the appointment of a lawyer from the Alaska Public Defender Agency, while the Appointment of Counsel is for the appointment of an attorney from outside the Agency. The appointed attorney will represent the defendant in all stages of the death penalty proceedings, including the trial, sentencing, and appeals.