Alaska Court Docket Records
Alaska court docket records are public case files maintained by the Alaska Court System across four judicial districts. The state provides free online access through CourtView, a statewide case index where you can search trial court filings by name or case number. Civil cases, criminal matters, probate filings, domestic relations, and small claims all appear in the system. For cases not available online, you can request copies from the courthouse that handled the filing. This guide covers how to search Alaska court dockets, request copies, and understand what the records contain.
Alaska Court Docket Overview
CourtView: Alaska Court Docket Search
CourtView is the official statewide name index for Alaska trial court cases. The Alaska Court System operates this free public tool, which covers Superior Courts and District Courts in all four judicial districts. You can search court docket records by party name, case number, or citation number at no cost. Results show the case number, party names, general case type, and current case status. The Alaska Court System's case search portal at courts.alaska.gov/main/search-cases.htm gives you direct access to both the trial court and appellate court search tools.
The system returns up to 500 records per search. Docket entries list every filing made in a case and when hearings are scheduled. CourtView is a case index, not a document database. Most records do not have the actual documents attached online. You can view the docket history and case summary. To get the full case file or certified copies of specific documents, you need to contact the courthouse directly.
The case search portal also provides access to the Appellate Courts Case Management System for Supreme Court and Court of Appeals filings. Appellate dockets include the full entry history, party names, attorney names, and disposition data.
The official case search page at courts.alaska.gov provides direct links to both the trial and appellate portals. It also includes a notice that CourtView is not an official criminal history check. For a complete criminal history, contact the Alaska Department of Public Safety.
The Alaska Court System also maintains a clear notice that searching court case records is not a substitute for an official criminal history records check of a person.
The Alaska Court System's case search portal provides the gateway to CourtView for trial court dockets and a separate search tool for appellate court cases.
How to Search Alaska Court Dockets
CourtView lets you search Alaska court docket records in several ways. Name searches work for individuals and businesses. For a person, enter first and last name. You can add a middle name, date of birth, or estimated file date to narrow results. For companies, search three ways: use the Company Name field, the Last Name field, and the First Name field, since business names may be indexed differently depending on how they were entered at filing.
Case number searches are faster if you have the number. Alaska case numbers follow a standard format. A typical case number looks like this: 3PA-98-01234CI. The prefix identifies the judicial district and court location. The number 3PA means Third Judicial District, Palmer. The two digits after the dash are the year the case was filed. The five digits that follow are a sequential case number, and the two-letter suffix identifies the case type. Common suffixes include CI for civil, CR for criminal, DR for domestic relations, PR for probate, and SC for small claims. When entering case numbers, dashes are required and leading zeroes must be included in the sequence number.
Search tips from the CourtView help system: use a first initial and common nicknames if a full name search fails. Try partial name searches if you are not sure of spelling. The system caps results at 500 records per search, so narrow your query if you are getting too many matches.
The CourtView information page at courts.alaska.gov/trialcourts/cvinfo.htm explains exactly what cases appear in the system and which ones have been removed from public access.
The CourtView Online Information page at the Alaska Court System website explains how the index works, what data appears in search results, and which cases are removed from public access under court rules and Alaska statutes.
What Alaska Court Docket Records Show
An Alaska court docket is the official record of everything that happens in a case. It lists every filing, motion, order, and hearing in the order they occurred. The docket shows party names, case number, case type, assigned judge, and the current status. Each entry has a date and a brief description of what was filed or what action the court took.
The actual documents behind docket entries are kept in the case file at the courthouse. A docket entry might show "Motion for Summary Judgment filed" but you would need to visit the clerk's office or submit a records request to get the actual motion. Criminal case dockets include charges filed, plea entries, sentencing dates, and any orders issued by the court. Civil dockets show complaints, answers, discovery deadlines, and judgment entries. Probate dockets track petitions, inventory filings, and final distributions. Domestic relations cases show divorce petitions, custody orders, and child support proceedings.
Some records do not appear in CourtView at all. Cases sealed by court order, juvenile matters, confidential civil proceedings, and certain records removed under AS 22.35.030 are excluded from the public index. That statute bars the Alaska Court System from publishing criminal case records on a public website if 60 days have elapsed since an acquittal or full dismissal not tied to a plea deal.
The Alaska Trial Courts page describes the two levels of trial courts, their jurisdictions, and how docket records are organized across Superior and District Courts in each judicial district.
Alaska Court System Structure
The Alaska Court System operates four levels of courts. The Supreme Court sits at the top, with five justices who hear appeals and set binding legal precedent. Below it is the Court of Appeals, which handles criminal appeals with a three-judge panel. The Superior Courts and District Courts are the trial courts where most cases start and where court docket records are generated at the local level.
Superior Courts have general jurisdiction. They handle felony criminal cases, civil cases over $100,000, domestic relations matters including divorce and custody, probate, and juvenile cases. They also hear appeals from District Court. District Courts have limited jurisdiction. They take misdemeanors, ordinance violations, civil cases up to $100,000, small claims up to $10,000, and preliminary hearings in felony cases. Most docket searches through CourtView will pull up records from one of these two trial court levels.
Alaska organizes its courts into four judicial districts. The First Judicial District covers southeast Alaska and includes Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka, Petersburg, and Wrangell. The Second Judicial District serves northern Alaska, including Nome and Kotzebue. The Third Judicial District is the largest and covers southcentral and southwest Alaska, including Anchorage, Palmer, Kenai, Kodiak, and Dillingham. The Fourth Judicial District handles the interior and western parts of the state, with Fairbanks as its main hub.
The full court directory at courts.alaska.gov/courtdir lists every court location in Alaska, with addresses, phone numbers, and hours. Each entry also identifies which judicial district and case type the location handles.
The Alaska Court System's official website is the starting point for all court docket searches, court locations, forms, eFiling, jury service information, and case records requests across the state.
The Alaska Court Directory lists every court location organized by judicial district, making it easy to find which courthouse handles cases for a specific borough or census area.
How to Get Copies of Alaska Court Docket Files
Getting copies of court docket documents requires a written request. The Alaska Court System uses a series of standardized forms called TF-311. The version you need depends on which court handled your case. Form TF-311 ANCH covers case files from Anchorage, Saint Paul Island, and Sand Point. Send those requests to the Nesbett Courthouse at 825 W 4th Ave, Anchorage, AK 99501, or email 3ANRecordsRequest@akcourts.gov. For Palmer cases, use form TF-311 PA and send to 435 South Denali Street, Palmer, AK 99645. The email for Palmer records is 3PACopy@akcourts.us. For Fairbanks, use TF-311 FBKS and send to 101 Lacey Street, Fairbanks, AK 99701. All other locations use the standard TF-311 form submitted to the specific court where the case was filed.
Copy fees are set statewide. Plain copies cost $5.00 for the first document and $3.00 for each additional document requested at the same time. Certified copies cost $10.00 for the first copy and $3.00 for each additional certified copy of the same document. Research fees of $30.00 per hour apply when you do not provide a case number. Exemplified or authenticated copies cost $15.00 per copy. Audio recording copies cost $20.00 per CD and require the TF-304 form series. These fees are set under Alaska court rules and apply statewide.
Processing times vary by location. The Anchorage court processes online and mail requests in 4 to 6 weeks. Fairbanks takes about the same time. Palmer runs faster, at 2 to 4 weeks for most requests. Valdez currently takes 4 to 6 weeks due to staffing levels. In-person requests are handled based on current availability at the clerk's counter.
The forms library at courts.alaska.gov/forms has all current TF-311 and TF-304 request forms available as PDFs. You can also find forms for search warrant records using form CR-714.
The Alaska Court System forms page lists all current records request forms, including the TF-311 series for case file copies and the TF-304 series for audio recordings, organized by court location.
Public Access Rules for Alaska Court Dockets
Alaska law makes most court docket records open to the public. Under AS 40.25.110, public records of all public agencies are open to inspection during regular office hours under reasonable rules. That statute covers court records unless another rule or order limits access. You do not need to be a party to the case. You do not need to give a reason for your request. Anyone can ask for copies of public court records.
Several categories of records are excluded from public access. Under AS 40.25.120, records of vital statistics, adoption proceedings, juvenile cases, and medical or public health records are not open to the public. Court Administrative Rule 37.5 identifies additional categories that are confidential or sealed. These include judges' preliminary notes and draft documents, legal research circulated among judicial staff, documents sealed by court order, and anything that could compromise the safety of court staff or jurors. Confidential case files are accessible only to the parties, their counsel, and court staff.
The Alaska Public Records Act at law.alaska.gov/doclibrary/APRA.html governs the broader framework for public access to state agency records. Under that Act, agencies must respond within 10 working days of a written request. Responses can include the records, a denial with legal authority cited, a cost estimate, or a request for more information. Fees for manual searching apply when a request takes more than 5 person-hours to fulfill.
Alaska courts have been clear that exceptions to disclosure are construed narrowly. Key court decisions have established that public agencies cannot use confidentiality agreements to avoid disclosure, and that the strong public interest in transparency generally favors access. Notable decisions include Municipality of Anchorage v. Anchorage Daily News and Anchorage School Dist. v. Anchorage Daily News.
The Alaska Public Records Act page at the Alaska Department of Law explains the full process for requesting public records from state agencies, including courts, under AS 40.25.100 through AS 40.25.295.
The Alaska Statutes Title 40, Chapter 25 at the Alaska Legislature's website contains the full text of the public records statutes, including access rights, exceptions, and the right to file a court action to compel disclosure under AS 40.25.124.
Federal Court Dockets in Alaska
Federal court cases in Alaska are handled by the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. This court operates CM/ECF, the Case Management and Electronic Case Files system used by all federal courts. Attorneys have been required to file electronically in civil and criminal cases since January 3, 2006. The court has three active locations. The Anchorage courthouse is at 222 W. 7th Avenue, Room 229, Anchorage, AK 99513. The Fairbanks location is at 101 12th Avenue, Room 332, Fairbanks, AK 99701. The Juneau location is at 709 W. 9th Street, Room 979, Juneau, AK 99801. The Ketchikan office closed as of October 1, 2021, and those matters now route through Juneau.
PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) provides public online access to federal court docket records. You need a free PACER account to search cases and view documents. Each page of a document costs $0.10 to access, with a $0.10 fee per search. If your quarterly charges stay under $30, the fee is waived entirely. PACER also offers a nationwide Case Locator tool updated daily that lets you search across all federal districts at once. The full PACER system is available at pacer.uscourts.gov.
The U.S. District Court for Alaska also handles related federal agencies including U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, and the Federal Public Defender's Office. Court opinions from the Ninth Circuit and the U.S. District Court issued after April 2004 are also available through the U.S. Government Publishing Office.
The U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska handles all federal court cases in the state and provides access to federal docket records through the CM/ECF system and the PACER public access portal.
PACER gives the public online access to federal court docket records in Alaska and across all 94 federal court districts, with per-page fees waived for users whose quarterly charges stay under $30.
Alaska Department of Corrections Records
The Alaska Department of Corrections maintains an offender search tool for people currently in custody or under supervision. This system is separate from court docket records. It can confirm whether someone is in a state facility, their facility location, and release date information. The department also operates VINE (Victim Information and Notification Everyday), an automated system that notifies victims of changes to an offender's status. Access the DOC offender search at doc.alaska.gov.
For a complete official criminal history report, contact the Alaska Department of Public Safety Criminal Records and Identification Bureau at 5700 East Tudor Road, Anchorage, AK 99507. Their phone is (907) 269-5767. A name-based check costs $20 and a fingerprint-based check costs $35. Additional copies requested at the same time cost $5 each. Criminal justice information in Alaska is governed by AS 12.62. Two forms of ID are required for walk-in requests.
Note: Court docket records and criminal history reports are different things. CourtView shows case filings, while the DPS criminal history is a complete state record of arrests and convictions.
The Alaska Department of Corrections website provides offender search tools and VINE notification services separate from the court docket system maintained by the Alaska Court System.
Historical Alaska Court Records
The Alaska State Archives holds historical court records that predate modern electronic systems. The archives maintains territorial court records, pre-1990 case files, probate records, and naturalization records. If you need court docket records from before 1990, or from Alaska's territorial period before statehood in 1959, the State Archives is the right place to start. Staff there can help with in-person research and mail requests for specific documents.
The archives also holds historical coroner case records from before September 1996. Prior to that year, district court judges, magistrates, and public administrators performed coroner duties in Alaska. To find a historical coroner case, you can search the decedent's name in CourtView or contact the court nearest the place of death for a search of paper index cards and the electronic Historical Index.
Contact the Alaska State Archives at 395 Whittier Street, Juneau, AK 99801. Phone: (907) 465-2270. Visit archives.alaska.gov for research services and to learn about records held there.
The Alaska State Archives in Juneau maintains historical court records from the territorial era and early statehood, providing in-person research access and mail request services for documents that predate electronic filing systems.
Alaska Appellate Court Dockets
Alaska's appellate courts include the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals. The Supreme Court is the state's highest court, with five justices who hear civil and criminal appeals and issue opinions that bind all lower courts. The Court of Appeals has three judges and focuses on criminal appeals. Both courts sit primarily in Anchorage but travel to Fairbanks, Juneau, and other communities as needed.
Appellate court docket records are searchable through a separate case management system linked from the main Alaska Court System website. You can search appellate cases by case number, party name, attorney name, or date range. Results show the case title, all parties and their attorneys, the full docket entry history, filing dates, and the final disposition. Access the appellate search tool through courts.alaska.gov/appellate.
The Alaska Appellate Courts case management system lets you search Supreme Court and Court of Appeals docket records by case number, party name, attorney name, or date, covering the full appeal history from filing to disposition.
Browse Alaska Court Dockets by Borough
Alaska's court docket records are organized by judicial district and filed at the courthouse serving each borough or census area. Select a borough below to find local court contact information, search tips, and access options.
Alaska Court Docket Records by City
Residents of major Alaska cities file cases at the Superior or District Court in their borough. Select a city to find the courthouse that serves that area and how to search its court docket records.