Alaska Court System Annual Report FY 2012
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Alaska Court System Annual Report FY 2012 Annual Report FY Alaska Court System Alaska Court System Annual Report FY 2012 July 1, 2011 – June 30, 2012 July 1, 2011 – June 30, 2012 July 1, 2011 Office of the Administrative Director Alaska Court System 303 K Street Anchorage, Alaska 99501 (907) 264-0548 Alaska Court Locations Barrow Second Judicial District Kotzebue Fort Yukon Fourth Judicial District Nome Tanana Fairbanks Unalakleet Galena Nenana Delta Junction Tok Emmonak McGrath Hooper Bay St. Mary’s Palmer Glennallen Chevak Aniak Bethel Anchorage Valdez Kenai Cordova Yakutat Skagway Seward Haines Dillingham Homer Juneau Hoonah Naknek Third Judicial District St. Paul Angoon Sitka Petersburg Kodiak Kake Wrangell Craig Ketchikan First Judicial District Sand Point Unalaska 303 K STREET ANCHORAGE. ALASKA 99501 CHRISTINE E. JOHNSON (907) 264-0548 AdministratIVe Director FAX (907) 264-088 1 The Alaska Court System is pleased to send you this copy of its FY 2012 annual report. As required by statute, we publish the annual report to present comprehensive statistical data on court operations as well as an overview of the year's work. This year we have adopted a new approach for the report, one that we hope reflects some of the complexity of Alaska court and government work. The report describes court system operations throughout the entire state, in all four judicial districts. In addition to the statistical information detailing the flow of cases, we present descriptions of some of our most important programs and initiatives, both in the courtrooms and in the administrative arena. We also provide summary budget information, a discussion of technology advances, a review of the improvements to the physical plant, a glimpse into the civics education efforts of the judiciary, and a list of the most important awards garnered by court employees. The Alaska Court System is committed to continuous review and improvement of its operations. The work detailed here reflects the leadership of Justice Walter Carpeneti, who completed his three-year term in the pOSition of chief justice at the end of FY 2012. Under his leadership, we have continued to work closely with other state and federal agencies to foster effective stewardship of public resources. We've designed this annual report to be both a reference tool and an addition to the historical record of the Alaska Court System. We hope you find it useful. It is also available on the court system's website. Sincerely, u:~ / Christine E. Johnson Administrative Djrector Alaska Court System Annual Report FY 2012 July 1, 2011 – June 30, 2012 © Copyright 2013 by the Alaska Court System. Layout and compositing by Melissa S. Green, Justice Center, University of Alaska Anchorage. Printed by Northern Printing, Inc., Anchorage, AK. iv Contents Alaska Court Locations (map)......................................................................................................inside front cover Introduction to the Alaska Court System ............................................................ 1 What is a Court Case? ............................................................................................................3 How are Judges Chosen? .......................................................................................................4 Other Justice System Participants .........................................................................................5 The Alaska Supreme Court ....................................................................................................6 Court of Appeals ....................................................................................................................7 Figure A. Alaska Court System Structure and Flow of Civil and Criminal Appeals ..........................................7 Trial Courts ............................................................................................................................8 Superior Court .........................................................................................................................................8 District Court ...........................................................................................................................................9 Year in Review ....................................................................................................11 Highlights of Court System Work .......................................................................................13 Criminal Justice Working Group .........................................................................................................13 Therapeutic Courts ................................................................................................................................13 PACE .......................................................................................................................................................15 Rural Courts: Circle Sentencing in the Fourth District ...................................................................15 Alaska Court System and the Alaska Tribal Court Development Conference ............................16 Early Resolution Project .......................................................................................................................16 Juries ......................................................................................................................................................17 Employee Development.......................................................................................................20 Training on Domestic Violence Issues...............................................................................................20 Language Assistants Program ..............................................................................................................20 The Alaska Court System, Civic Education, and Other Outreach ..................................... 21 Supreme Court Live .............................................................................................................................21 iCivics ......................................................................................................................................................21 Law Day ..................................................................................................................................................21 Judges of Alaska — Historical Material via Project Jukebox .........................................................22 Success Inside and Out .........................................................................................................................23 Advances in Technology ......................................................................................................24 Electronic Filing .....................................................................................................................................24 MAJIC .....................................................................................................................................................24 Improvements and Upgrades in Court System Facilities ...................................................26 Courthouses ............................................................................................................................................26 Improvements in Facility Security .......................................................................................................26 Budgetary Overview ............................................................................................................28 Figure B. Alaska Court System Budget within State of Alaska FY12 Operating Budget..................................28 Figure C. Alaska Court System Budget and Other Justice-Related Agency Budgets, FY12 .................................29 Awards of Note ....................................................................................................................30 Award to Chief Justice ..........................................................................................................................30 Recognition for Magistrate Judge ........................................................................................................30 v Court System Employee Awards .........................................................................................................31 Employee Achievement ................................................................................................................................................... 31 Customer Service .............................................................................................................................................................. 31 Judges and Court Administrative Staff ............................................................. 33 Alaska Supreme Court .........................................................................................................35 Statewide Court Administration ..........................................................................................38 Court of Appeals ..................................................................................................................39 Clerk of the Appellate Courts ..............................................................................................39 Trial Courts ..........................................................................................................................40