The Framers of the Alaska Constitution wanted to create a judicial system that would serve Alaskans well, one that would not repeat the same problems and pitfalls that other states were experiencing. In an effort to ensure that Alaskans would be served by judges who were of the highest caliber, the Framers first reviewed judicial systems from around the country. They then drafted what is known as the Judiciary Article of the Alaska Constitution. This section of the Constitution establishes two thoughtfully designed processes that are fully transparent, assuring that Alaskans have access to the information gathered in the professional evaluations of judicial applicants and the performance evaluations of judges who are standing for retention.

Today, Alaska’s judicial selection and retention processes are admired as one of the finest systems in the nation. Alaska’s system fully embraces the Rule of Law, ensures appointment of judges of the highest quality who have demonstrated integrity, requires citizen involvement in the selection and retention of state judges, ensures that Alaska’s state judges make decisions based only on the rule of law and the evidence, and that they are not influenced in their decision-making by partisan or other political interests.

This system has served Alaskans well for more than 60 decades and is built on a robust historical tradition.