Olson leads judgeship candidates in survey

PALMER -- A hearing examiner for the Alaska Regulatory Commission has received the highest rating from his peers among 11 candidates for a new judgeship in Palmer District Court.

Paul E. Olson, 53, has the best overall professional performance rating, according to a survey of Alaska Bar Association members. The survey conducted by the Alaska Judicial Council rates judgeship candidates on professional competence, integrity, fairness, judicial temperament and suitability of experience.

Olson, who has been a practicing attorney for 23 years and an Alaska resident for 26 years, scored a composite 4.4 on a scale of one to five, with five being the top score and three being acceptable. Olson graduated from South Texas College of Law in 1975.

Stephen B. Wallace and Jennifer K. Wells received the next best rating from their colleagues. Both had an average score of 3.9. Wallace is an assistant district attorney for the state of Alaska, and Wells is employed by the Alaska Court System as a committing magistrate and standing superior court master in Anchorage.

David Berry, an associate with Sterling and DeArmond Law Offices in Wasilla, and David L. Zwink, employed by the Alaska Court System as a magistrate in Palmer, each scored 3.7 overall.

Gregory Louis Heath, employed by the Public Defender Agency as supervising attorney in Palmer, received a 3.5 average score.

The lowest overall rating among remaining candidates, a 2.8 score, went to Karen L. Jennings, who has a private legal practice in Anchorage. Fifteen candidates originally sought the judgeship but four dropped out after the initial survey, according to a spokeswoman for the Alaska Judicial Council.

Besides weighing survey results, the council checks references, any criminal or disciplinary charges against the candidate, the candidate's credit history, and any court cases in which the candidate has been involved.

The council will interview candidates, and a public hearing will be held Oct. 10 at noon in the Palmer courthouse to take input from citizens about the candidates.

The council will send two or more nominees to Gov. Frank Murkowski, who will make the final decision.