a judge down a benchAlaska Supreme Court Justice Jennifer Henderson is seen connected Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, successful Juneau. Alaska’s Supreme Court will apt soon person 3 female and 2 antheral justices, making it majority-women for nan first time. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

Seven attorneys person thrown their sanction successful nan ringing for a judicial position successful Alaska’s Supreme Court. All 7 candidates are women, meaning that – if everything proceeds arsenic expected – nan tribunal will beryllium majority-women for nan first clip successful authorities history. 

The 7 applicants were announced last week by nan Alaska Judicial Council, which screens and nominates applicants for judicial positions. The politician past fills a judicial vacancy from nan nominees provided by nan council. 

The attorneys are applying to switch Chief Justice Peter Maassen, who will move 70 – nan status property for Alaska judges – successful 2025. Maassen’s departure will people nan extremity of a series of retirements on nan Supreme Court. 

The incoming justness will beryllium the fourth appointed by Gov. Mike Dunleavy out of a five-person court. The only justness that will not person been appointed by Dunleavy is Susan M. Carney, who was appointed by erstwhile Gov. Bill Walker successful 2016. Carney replaced erstwhile Justice Dana Fabe, who was nan first female appointed to nan Alaska Supreme Court successful 1996. 

The judicial council is made up of 3 attorneys and 3 nationalist members appointed by nan governor, arsenic good arsenic nan main justness – presently Maassen.

According to nan assignment process outlined by nan Alaska Constitution, nan assembly will rumor a study to each Alaska attorneys, asking them to rank nan candidates connected six criteria related to master suitability and judgment. The Alaska Judicial Council said that nan results of nan study should beryllium disposable successful precocious September. 

Then, nan assembly will question and reply each candidate. In November, nan lawyer and nationalist members of nan assembly will ballot to nominate nan candidates who they judge to beryllium nan astir qualified. If location is simply a tie, Maassen would formed nan tie-breaking vote. The politician will past take a caller justness from nan nominees. 

Out of Alaska’s 27 current and former Supreme Court justices, only 4 person been women. 

The Supreme Court justness applicants are: 

  • Kate Demarest, a elder adjunct lawyer wide astatine nan Alaska Department of Law successful Anchorage;
  • Josie Garton, a Superior Court judge successful Anchorage; 
  • Aimee Anderson Oravec, wide counsel for Doyon Utilities LLC successful Fairbanks; 
  • Margaret O. Rogers, presently successful backstage believe successful Fairbanks; 
  • Kate Vogel, nan first adjunct United States lawyer astatine nan U.S. Attorney’s Office successful Anchorage; 
  • Holly C. Wells, presently successful backstage believe successful Anchorage; and
  • Laura Wolff, a elder adjunct lawyer wide astatine nan Department of Law successful Anchorage.