Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Alaska relating to when supreme court justices and superior court judges are to be subject to approval or rejection following initial approval.

Updated: April 18, 2000 by Mike Pauley, Staff Aide to Senator Loren Leman.

SJR 15 proposes an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Alaska that is designed to provide greater opportunity for public evaluation of judges by increasing the frequency of judicial retention elections.

Article IV, Section 6 of the Alaska Constitution provides that each supreme court justice and superior court judge shall be subject to approval or rejection on a nonpartisan ballot at the first general election held more than three years after the judge or justice is appointed. Subsequent to this initial retention election, each supreme court justice is subject to approval or rejection every tenth year, and each superior court judge every sixth year.

SJR 15 increases the frequency of the retention elections that occur after the initial three-year retention vote. Retention elections for supreme court justices would occur at six-year intervals, while retention elections for superior court judges would occur at four-year intervals.

More frequent retention elections will provide the Alaska public greater opportunities to evaluate the performance and judicial philosophy of judges and justices.

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