Cutler endorsed

Palmer judge may be heading to U.S. District Court

PALMER — A Palmer Superior Court judge is among the three candidates U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens has recommended to President George W. Bush for appointment to the U.S. District Court in Alaska.

The announcement that Judge Beverly Cutler made the final short list of three candidates, all Alaska Superior Court judges, was made by Stevens, R-Alaska, on Thursday.

The 51-year-old Cutler has served as a Superior Court judge in Palmer for 14 years, and the court's chief administrative judge since 1996. Cutler served as district court judge in the Third Judicial District in Anchorage from 1977 to 1982.

With 23 years on the bench, Cutler is the most senior state trial court judge.

"I'm very excited," Cutler said hours after the announcement, "Of course I would be very interested in the job. On the other hand, I feel very privileged to serve in Palmer."

The state's U.S. District Court opening is the first in 10 years. The person who wins the position will replace U.S. District Judge Russell Holland, who will take senior status leave on Sept. 18.

Stevens' two other nominees include Superior Court judges Ralph R. Beistline of Fairbanks and Michael A. Thompson of Ketchikan. Stevens said he consulted with U.S. Sen. Frank Murkowski and U.S. Rep. Don Young, both R-Alaska, and other Alaskans before sending the names to the president.

Bush will nominate a candidate from Stevens' list or appoint someone else of his choice. The candidate must then be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

Cutler said she was a candidate for the federal bench 10 years ago, when the senior George Bush was president.

The Alaska Bar Association conducted a survey of its members at Stevens' request, about 19 applicants for the position. Of the three finalists, Cutler was rated highest by far compared to the other two candidates.

Voted extremely well qualified by 30.9 percent of those polled, Cutler came in third in the overall evaluation, followed by Beistline with 18.5 percent and Thompson in sixth place, with 13.6 percent voting the justice extremely qualified.

Voted most qualified in the survey of nearly 1,100 people, was Anchorage Superior Court Judge Eric Sanders.

Cutler said if she were selected, she would embrace the new challenges the position would offer.

"There are a lot of exciting legal issues in Alaska requiring interpretation of federal law," Cutler said.

The experience she received in civil and criminal cases on the Superior Court bench will provide a solid foundation for working on the federal bench, Cutler said. Citing the high quality of the other judges who now preside on the U.S. District Court bench in Alaska, Cutler said she would be honored to serve with them.

If selected, Cutler would be the first woman appointed to the U.S. District Court in Alaska.

Born in Washington, D.C., Cutler graduated from Yale Law School in 1974 after receiving a degree in history from Stanford University. After law school, Cutler worked as a research attorney for the Alaska Judicial Council, then served in the Alaska Public Defender Agency in Anchorage for two years before she was appointed to the district court in 1977.

Cutler, who lives in Palmer, is married and has four children, ages nine to 20 years old.