Retaining Judicial Independence: Solutions to Increasing Threats to Alaska’s Judicial Merit System

Authors

Ryan Kuchinski

Abstract

While the judicial merit system in Alaska has effectively balanced accountability with the competing need for independence in the judiciary, the growing trend of politicized retention elections threatens that independence. This Note examines the threat to the Alaskan judicial merit system, argues for the importance of protecting an independent judiciary, and proposes a number of potential solutions to reform or replace the current retention election system.

Citation

Ryan Kuchinski, Retaining Judicial Independence: Solutions to Increasing Threats to Alaska’s Judicial Merit System, 37 Alaska Law Review 235-270 (2020)
Available at: https://scholarship.law.duke.edu/alr/vol37/iss2/6