Alaska Criminal Court Records

Alaska criminal court records are public case files maintained by the Alaska Court System across all four judicial districts. The state's CourtView portal lets you search these criminal court records free of charge by name, case number, or citation number. Cases go back to 1990 for most court types. For official criminal history reports, the Department of Public Safety handles background check requests separately. Whether you need a case number, a copy of a charging document, or a certified court record, this guide covers how to find and request Alaska criminal court records through official channels.

Search Alaska Criminal Court Records Online

The Alaska Court System runs CourtView as the main public access tool for criminal court records. It is free to use and covers cases from all trial courts statewide, including Superior Courts and District Courts. You can reach it at records.courts.alaska.gov. No account or login is needed. The system lets you search by case number, by party name, or by ticket or citation number. Results show case summaries, charges, hearing dates, docket entries, and disposition information for most criminal cases.

Records in CourtView go back to 1990 for most case types. Files from before 1990 may exist on paper at the courthouse where the case was filed. The system returns up to 500 results per search. If a party has more than 500 cases on record, you need to add a date range to see all of them. Criminal case numbers follow a set format: [Court Prefix]-[Year]-[Sequence Number][Suffix]. The suffix CR marks criminal cases. For example, a Anchorage criminal case might appear as 3AN-24-00001CR. You must include leading zeros and dashes when entering a case number.

CourtView Public Access is the starting point for any Alaska criminal court records search.

CourtView displays case summaries, party names, charges, docket entries, and hearing schedules for public criminal cases filed across the state.

The Alaska Court System search page makes clear that a CourtView search is not the same as a criminal history check. Some cases never appear in CourtView. Others are removed after a set time under statute or court order. CourtView shows what is currently in the public index. It does not reflect the full scope of all criminal activity or all court filings ever made. For a complete and official criminal history report, you must go through the Department of Public Safety.

The Alaska Court System search page explains in plain terms what the online case search covers and what it does not.

This page links to both the trial court case search through CourtView and the appellate case management system, giving you two ways to look up Alaska court records depending on where a case was heard.

Alaska Criminal Records That Do Not Appear Online

Not all criminal court records show up in CourtView. Under Alaska Administrative Rule 40(a), certain case types are removed or withheld from the public site. Alaska Statute 22.35.030 bars the Alaska Court System from publishing criminal case records online when 60 days have passed since an acquittal or dismissal and the defendant was either acquitted of all charges or all charges were dismissed. That means a dismissed case may disappear from CourtView two months after the ruling even if it was once searchable.

Other records not available through CourtView include sealed cases, juvenile court proceedings, mental health commitment matters, adoption cases, and foreign domestic violence protective orders filed under AS 18.66.140. Certain civil protective order cases where no order was ultimately issued are also removed. Cases where a defendant completed a suspended imposition of sentence under AS 12.55.085 may be taken off the public index. Marijuana possession cases where the defendant was 21 or older and convicted of less than one ounce are withheld under a 2024 amendment to AS 12.62.160. Cases involving defendants under 21 charged with certain alcohol-related offenses may be removed under Alaska Statute 04.21.078.

The CourtView Online Information page explains exactly which case types are excluded from the public access portal and why.

This page also covers the case number format, search tips, and what each data field in a CourtView result means, which helps you get the most from your search.

Alaska Court System and Criminal Jurisdiction

The Alaska Court System trial courts handle criminal cases at two levels. The Superior Court is the court of general jurisdiction. It takes all felony criminal cases, civil cases over $100,000, domestic relations matters, and juvenile cases involving children who have committed crimes. There are 45 Superior Court judgeships across the state's four judicial districts. The District Court is the limited jurisdiction court. It handles misdemeanor criminal cases, civil cases up to $100,000, small claims, domestic violence protective orders, and preliminary hearings for felony cases. Both court levels generate the records that end up in CourtView and in the physical case files kept by each clerk of court.

Alaska's four judicial districts divide the state geographically. District One covers Southeast Alaska, with Juneau as the hub, and includes Haines, Ketchikan, Sitka, Skagway, Wrangell, Yakutat, and Prince of Wales-Hyder. District Two covers western and northern Alaska, with Nome and Bethel as major hubs. District Three covers Southcentral Alaska, with Anchorage handling the highest case volume in the state, plus the Matanuska-Susitna and Kenai Peninsula boroughs. District Four covers Interior Alaska, with Fairbanks as the hub.

Each judicial district has a presiding judge appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court each January. That judge handles case assignments, staff supervision, and overall administration of trial courts within the district.

The trial courts overview page describes how Superior and District Courts are organized and what types of criminal cases each level handles.

This page also explains how case assignments work within each judicial district and how the presiding judge system operates for managing criminal caseloads across Alaska.

How to Request Alaska Criminal Court Record Copies

Copies of Alaska criminal court records can be requested in person, by email, by fax, or by mail. Your request goes to the records department or clerk of court at the courthouse where the case was filed. The Alaska Court System uses different forms depending on the court location. Form TF-311 ANCH covers Anchorage, Saint Paul Island, and Sand Point. Form TF-311 FBKS is for Fairbanks. Form TF-311 PA is for Palmer. All other Alaska court locations use the general TF-311 form. You can find these on the Alaska Court System records page. Each form asks for the case name, case number, specific documents you need, and your preferred delivery method.

Copy fees are set statewide. Standard copies cost $5 for the first document and $3 for each additional document requested at the same time. Certified copies cost $10 for the first certified copy and $3 for each additional certified copy of the same document requested together. Exemplified or authenticated copies are $15 each. If you do not provide a case number, the court charges a research fee of $30 per hour with a minimum of one hour, and a deposit may be required. Audio recordings of court proceedings can be requested using separate forms (TF-304 by location) and cost $20 per CD. Search warrant records require form CR-714.

Wait times depend on the court. Online requests to the Fairbanks courts take 4 to 6 weeks. Palmer online requests take 2 to 4 weeks. Valdez currently takes 4 to 6 weeks due to staffing. Anchorage normal requests take 5 to 7 business days, with larger or research-heavy requests taking longer. If you need records quickly, visiting the courthouse in person is your best option. In-person requests at Fairbanks and Palmer are processed the same day.

The Alaska Court System records request page lists current wait times by court location and links to the correct form for each district.

This page also explains the difference between requesting copies of the case file and requesting audio recordings, which follow a separate process and fee schedule.

Major Alaska Court Locations for Criminal Records

The Anchorage Trial Courts at 825 West 4th Avenue handle more criminal cases than any other court in Alaska. Customer service is at (907) 264-0514. Record requests go to 3ANRecordsRequest@akcourts.us or by fax to (907) 264-0873. Business hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, with the Clerk's Office closed Wednesdays from 8:00 am to 9:00 am. Domestic violence matters have extended hours Monday through Friday until 8:00 pm, and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 8:00 pm. Weekend and holiday criminal arraignments are held at the Anchorage Correctional Complex at 1300 E 4th Avenue; call (907) 269-4100 for information on calling in or appearing in person.

The Anchorage court directory provides full contact details, extended hours information, and instructions for submitting criminal records requests to the Third Judicial District.

The Nesbett Courthouse in Anchorage serves as the administrative hub for Third Judicial District criminal cases, covering Anchorage, Matanuska-Susitna, and parts of the Kenai Peninsula.

The Fairbanks Trial Courts at 101 Lacey Street serve the Fourth Judicial District. Customer service is at (907) 452-9277. For criminal matters specifically, call (907) 452-9289. Record requests use form TF-311 FBKS and go to 4FArecords@akcourts.gov or fax (907) 452-9330.

The Fairbanks court directory lists phone numbers for every case type, filing options, and current wait times for records requests in Interior Alaska.

The Fairbanks Superior Court also serves as an appellate court for cases tried at the District Court level in the Fourth Judicial District.

The Juneau Trial Courts at 123 4th Street serve the First Judicial District for all of Southeast Alaska. Customer service is at (907) 463-4700. Records requests go to 1JUmailbox@akcourts.gov or fax (907) 463-3788. The Clerk's Office is closed Thursdays from 8:00 am to 9:00 am. Weekend and holiday arraignments use public access line 1-888-788-0099 with Meeting ID: 923 853 3061.

The Juneau court directory covers contact details, hours, and remote arraignment access for the First Judicial District, which includes Haines, Ketchikan, Sitka, Skagway, Wrangell, Yakutat, and Prince of Wales-Hyder.

The Juneau courts at the Dimond Court Building handle criminal cases for Alaska's capital city and act as the hub for all First Judicial District criminal proceedings.

Alaska Criminal History and Background Check Requests

The Alaska Department of Public Safety operates the Criminal Records and Identification Bureau at 5700 East Tudor Road, Anchorage, Alaska 99507. This office maintains Alaska's centralized criminal history repository. Contact them at (907) 269-5767, fax (907) 269-5091, or dps.criminal.records@alaska.gov. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

Under Alaska Statute AS 12.62.160, any person may request Alaska criminal justice information. A name-based background check costs $20. A fingerprint-based check costs $35. Fingerprint-based checks are recommended because name searches may miss records filed under aliases or alternate name spellings. Fingerprints must be submitted on a standard FD-258 FBI fingerprint card. Cards submitted in a different size or on different paper stock are rejected, even if the correct form is otherwise used. For mail requests, results can be sent by mail or fax but not both unless you buy an extra copy. Extra copies cost $5 and must be requested at the same time as the original. Additional reports ordered later are $20 each.

Alaska Statute AS 12.62.160 governs who may receive Alaska criminal justice information and under what conditions.

This statute was amended effective January 1, 2024, to restrict the release of certain marijuana possession records where the defendant was 21 or older, held no other charges, and requests that the records not be released.

Public Access Rights for Alaska Criminal Court Records

Alaska Administrative Rule 37.5 states that all public records within the Alaska Court System are open to inspection by any member of the public. Public records include any document filed with or prepared by the Alaska Court System that contains information about the public's business. You do not need to be a party to a case. You do not have to give a reason for your request. The presumption is that criminal court records are open unless a specific statute, court rule, or court order says otherwise.

The Alaska Public Records Act (APRA), codified at Alaska Statute 40.25.110-120, establishes the public's broader right to access government records. Court records fall under their own access framework through Administrative Rule 37.5, not directly under APRA. However, the overall framework is the same: presumptive public access with narrow exceptions. Agencies that receive records requests have a duty to respond, and requesters who believe an agency violated access rules may need to pursue the matter through private legal action since the Department of Law does not enforce APRA against other agencies.

In Johnson v. State, 50 P.3d 404 (Alaska Ct. App. 2002), the Court of Appeals affirmed that the public interest in keeping criminal records open outweighs the privacy interest of individual defendants even when those defendants have been rehabilitated. The court found no basis to seal 20-year-old felony convictions and held that the regular burden of having a criminal record disclosed is not sufficient grounds for sealing. Courts do occasionally seal specific records when exceptional good cause is shown, but this is uncommon.

The Alaska Public Records Act overview from the Department of Law explains the legal framework for accessing government records in Alaska, including the key exceptions and how to submit a records request.

Requests for Department of Law records specifically go to law.recordsrequest@alaska.gov or 1031 West 4th Avenue, Suite 200, Anchorage, AK 99501. Requests for records of other agencies should go directly to that agency.

Alaska Appellate Criminal Court Records

Alaska has two appellate courts that handle criminal matters. The Court of Appeals hears all criminal appeals from Superior Court and some from District Court. It also handles post-conviction relief petitions, juvenile delinquency appeals, extradition, habeas corpus, probation and parole, and sentencing matters. The Court of Appeals was created by the Alaska Legislature in 1980. The Supreme Court sits above it and hears some criminal appeals from the Court of Appeals on further review. Neither court accepts new evidence. Appeals are decided based solely on the trial court record, which includes audio or video from hearings, exhibits, case history files, and briefs filed by the parties.

The Appellate Courts Case Management System lets you search for criminal appeals by case number, party name, or attorney name.

The Appellate CMS provides access to case information, docket entries, and published opinions for criminal appeals decided by the Alaska Supreme Court and Court of Appeals. The Appellate Court Clerk's Office is at 303 K Street, Anchorage, AK 99501, phone (907) 264-0612, email pleadings@akcourts.us.

The Self-Help Center appeals FAQ provides clear explanations of how Alaska's appellate courts work, which court hears which type of criminal appeal, and how the public can access appellate records.

This self-help resource is particularly useful for understanding the difference between an appeal, a petition for hearing, a petition for review, and an original application, which are the four main ways parties can seek appellate court review of criminal cases.

Open Courts and Criminal Record Transparency in Alaska

The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press maintains an Alaska Open Courts Compendium that documents the legal standards governing public access to Alaska court records. The compendium notes that AS 12.62.900(12) specifically excludes court records from the definition of criminal justice information in the Criminal Justice Information System. This is significant because it means court records are not subject to the same restricted-access rules that apply to criminal justice agency records. Courts use their own access framework under Administrative Rule 37.5, which defaults to openness.

Current offender information may be provided to any person for any purpose under AS 12.62.160(b)(8), unless release would compromise the privacy of a minor or vulnerable adult. Alaska courts balance the public interest in disclosure against individual privacy and government confidentiality interests when weighing whether to seal a record. The default result is usually disclosure.

The Open Courts Compendium for Alaska documents the access rules, relevant statutes, and key court decisions on sealing and public disclosure of criminal records.

This resource from the Reporters Committee is updated regularly and covers Alaska's court access rules in detail, making it a useful reference for anyone researching criminal court records access rights in the state.

Browse Alaska Criminal Records by Borough

Each Alaska borough and census area is served by the Alaska Court System. Select a borough below to find local court contact details, records request procedures, and criminal case search resources for that specific area.

View All 30 Alaska Boroughs and Census Areas

Criminal Court Records in Major Alaska Cities

Cities across Alaska file criminal cases through their borough's court system. Select a city below for courthouse locations, contact details, and criminal record search resources.

View Major Alaska Cities