Chief justice addresses selection standards

PALMER -- After his initial rejection of the Alaska Judicial Council's nominees and an ensuing public discussion, Gov. Frank Murkowski appointed Craig Stowers to a vacant seat on the Anchorage Superior Court.

Murkowski had initially requested more names for the judgeship but council members responded that the original nominees were selected on the basis of merit through a constitutionally mandated process.

In a letter to council members dated Sept. 22, Chief Justice Alex Bryner commended the council for its unified response to the governor, but encouraged members to look past the recent controversy and consider the governor's request that the council describe its selection process more clearly and make it easier to understand.

According to Bryner's letter, it has been more than 20 years since the council last reviewed its bylaws and undertook to expand on its statement of selection standards.

Although the council has refined parts of the process and taken new steps to ensure the system is widely publicized and understood, some of these efforts are not fully described in the council's bylaws.

Bryner therefore proposed in his letter to undertake a review of the council's current rules and practices associated with the nomination and appointment process for judgeship applicants.

"We certainly need not reinvent the wheel, but we can benefit from updating, improving, and clarifying our process where changes seem warranted," Bryner wrote.

Bryner recommended the council invite and encourage input from all branches of Alaska's government, the Alaska Bar Association, sitting and retired judges and the general public. The matter will be scheduled for discussion at the council's next public meeting in October.

Currently there are 10 candidates applying for a vacancy on the Palmer District Court. Five of those candidates are applying for a vacancy on the Kenai District Court as well.

The Alaska Judicial Council will hold a public hearing on the Palmer District Court candidates at the Palmer Courthouse, courtroom three, on Friday, Oct. 8 at 12:15 p.m. The public is encouraged to participate and comment on the judicial candidates.

Contact John Davidson at john.davidson@frontiersman.com.