Alaska Court Records
Alaska court records are public documents held by the state's unified court system across four judicial districts. You can search civil cases, criminal matters, small claims, family law filings, and more through the online CourtView system at no cost. Whether you need to look up a case by name, find court filings for a specific location, or request certified copies of documents, this guide covers where to go and how to get what you need from Alaska courts.
Alaska Court Records Overview
How Alaska Court Records Are Organized
Alaska runs a unified court system. There are no separate borough or city court systems. All courts fall under one state structure that covers every part of the state. The main website, courts.alaska.gov, is your starting point for any case lookup, record search, or document request. The site has links to CourtView, court directories, forms, and filing information.
At the top sit two appellate courts. The Supreme Court is the highest court in Alaska and hears appeals from lower courts. It has five justices and holds oral argument monthly in Anchorage, with quarterly sessions in Fairbanks and Juneau. The Court of Appeals was created by the Legislature in 1980 and handles criminal appeals, post-conviction relief, extradition, habeas corpus, probation and parole matters. The Appellate Clerk's Office is at 303 K Street, Anchorage, AK 99501, phone (907) 264-0612.
Trial courts operate at two levels. Superior Courts have general jurisdiction and hear all civil and criminal cases. There are 45 Superior Court judges across Alaska. District Courts handle limited matters: civil cases up to $100,000, small claims up to $10,000, misdemeanors, traffic violations, and minor offenses. Magistrate judges handle an even narrower range of matters but can still issue warrants and conduct initial hearings. The four judicial districts are anchored in Anchorage (Third), Fairbanks (Fourth), Juneau (First), and Nome (Second).
The Alaska Court System information page explains the full structure of state courts, including all four judicial districts and the role of each court type.
Searching Alaska Court Records Online
The free online tool for searching Alaska court records is CourtView. Access it at courts.alaska.gov/main/search-cases.htm or go directly to the public access system at records.courts.alaska.gov. You can search by party name, case number, or ticket and citation number. Results show case type, case status, party names, judge assignments, hearing dates, and docket entries.
Case numbers follow a specific format. They must include leading zeroes, a 5-digit sequence number, and dashes. An example looks like this: 3AN-12-00001CR. The prefix shows the court location code. The suffix tells you the case type. CR is criminal. CI is civil. PR is probate. SC is small claims. DR covers domestic relations cases filed before 1995. AU is alcohol underage. MO is minor offense. TR is registration of trusts. WI is deposit of wills. If you don't know the case number, searching by name often works better.
Search results cap at 500 cases. For a name with more than 500 entries, narrow it with a date range. When searching for a company, run three separate searches: one in the company name field, one in the last name field, and one in the first name field. That catches all possible matches in the system.
The CourtView search page at courts.alaska.gov lets anyone look up Alaska court cases by name, case number, or citation at no cost.
The CourtView public access portal at records.courts.alaska.gov provides direct access to Alaska trial court cases and online payment options for fines.
The CourtView information guide explains what types of cases appear in the public search system and which records are removed from the public index.
Alaska Court Records Removed from Public Search
Not all cases appear in CourtView. Some are removed by law. Cases sealed by a court order do not show up. Under Alaska Statute 22.35.030, the court system may not publish online records of criminal cases where the defendant was acquitted of all charges or where all charges were dismissed, if 60 days have passed since the acquittal or dismissal. This applies when the dismissal was not part of a plea agreement in another case.
Other categories are also removed. Foreign domestic violence protective orders filed under AS 18.66.140 do not appear. Certain civil protective order cases closed without a protective order being issued are removed. Cases involving persons under 21 for certain alcohol offenses are not published. Under Alaska Statute 22.35.040, effective January 1, 2023, records of marijuana possession cases for less than one ounce by persons 21 or older are also removed.
Juvenile matters are confidential. Cases with suspended imposition of judgment may be removed. Historical cases prior to 1990 exist on paper index cards and are not publicly searchable online. Staff are converting these to an electronic index, but you have to ask a clerk directly to search those older records.
How to Get Alaska Court Record Copies
CourtView shows case information but not document images for most case types. To get actual documents, contact the court where the case was filed. You can submit requests in person, by mail, by email, or by fax. The trial courts information page has specific instructions and contact details for each court location.
Each court location uses its own records request form number. Anchorage uses form TF-311 ANCH. Email requests go to 3ANRecordsRequest@akcourts.gov. Fax: (907) 264-0873. Fairbanks uses TF-311 FBKS. Email: 4FArecords@akcourts.gov. Fax: (907) 452-9330. Palmer uses TF-311 PA. Email: 3PACopyRequests@akcourts.gov. Fax: (907) 746-8152. All other locations use the standard TF-311 form. All forms are on the Alaska courts forms page.
Processing times differ. Anchorage in-person requests are handled same-day. Fairbanks and Palmer online requests take 2-4 weeks. Some locations like Valdez are currently running 4-6 weeks. When you need records quickly, going in person is the better choice.
The trial courts information page provides instructions on how to submit records requests at each court location across Alaska.
The forms page at courts.alaska.gov has all the TF-311 records request forms for every Alaska court location available as free PDF downloads.
Alaska Court Record Copy Fees
Alaska courts use a statewide fee schedule for all copy requests. Plain copies cost $5 for the first document and $3 for each additional document in the same request. Certified copies cost $10 for the first copy and $3 for each additional certified copy. Exemplified or authenticated copies cost $15 each. Research fees apply when you don't have a case number: $30 per hour. Audio recordings of court hearings cost $20 per CD.
Filing fees are separate from copy fees and depend on the case type. Divorce and dissolution cases cost $250 to file. Change of name petitions cost $200. Adoptions cost $100. Probate of estates costs $250. Guardianships cost $150. Protective order petitions for domestic violence, stalking, sexual assault, and financial abuse are free. Small claims cases cost $50 if the amount is $2,500 or less, or $100 for claims over $2,500. The full schedule is posted on the court fees page and has been in effect since May 1, 2023.
Fee waivers are available for people who cannot afford court costs. Form TF-920 is the Request for Exemption from Payment of Fees. Prisoners use form CIV-670. To qualify, you must show your income and financial situation to the court.
The court fee schedule at courts.alaska.gov shows all current filing fees and copy costs for Alaska courts, effective May 1, 2023.
Electronic Filing in Alaska Courts
Alaska courts use TrueFiling as their electronic filing system. The platform is available at akfile.truefiling.com. All lawyers registered with the Alaska Bar must use TrueFiling to file documents in court. Self-represented filers are also required to use it unless they qualify for an exemption. Exemptions apply to filers who are incarcerated, have a disability under the ADA, lack safe access to a computer or internet, need help to use the system that they can't get, or have a significant language barrier.
TrueFiling handles criminal, civil, family law, small claims, minor offense, domestic violence, and eviction cases. Case types not yet available in TrueFiling include probate, adoption, and Child in Need of Aid matters. Those still require paper filing. The court expects these to move to TrueFiling by late summer 2026. For criminal and minor offense cases, TrueFiling provides online access to images of non-confidential documents. For all other case types, you need to visit the courthouse to view documents.
Technical support for TrueFiling is available Monday through Friday from 4:00 AM to 5:00 PM Alaska time. Call (855) 959-8868 or email support@truefiling.com.
The eFiling information page at courts.alaska.gov/efile explains TrueFiling requirements, case types covered, and exemptions for Alaska court electronic filing.
TrueFiling at akfile.truefiling.com is the portal Alaska courts use for electronic document filing in most civil and criminal case types.
Criminal History Records in Alaska
Searching CourtView is not the same as a criminal history check. The court system makes this clear. CourtView shows court case records. It does not compile arrests, charges, and outcomes the way a background check does. Some cases never appear on CourtView. Others get removed over time based on statutes and court rules.
For a complete criminal history report, contact the Department of Public Safety Criminal Records and Identification Bureau at 5700 E. Tudor Road, Anchorage, AK 99507. Phone: (907) 269-5767. Walk-in hours are 8:15 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday. The fee for a name-based search is $20. Fingerprint-based searches cost $35. Extra copies cost $5 if ordered at the same time, or $20 if ordered later. Full details are at dps.alaska.gov.
Criminal records requests are governed by Alaska Statute 12.62. Not all records are open to any requestor. Some restricted records require specific authorization or a legal purpose to access. Alaska State Troopers maintain jurisdiction throughout the state for criminal investigations.
The Juneau court directory lists contact information and hours for the First Judicial District headquarters in Juneau, which handles cases from Southeast Alaska.
What Alaska Court Records Include
Court records in Alaska cover a wide range of case types. Criminal cases include both misdemeanors and felonies. Clicking the case number in CourtView lets you review party charge information. Always check the party charge disposition, because you should not assume the person was convicted of the original charges. Civil cases handle disputes between parties including contract claims and property issues. Family law cases cover divorce, child custody, child support, and adoption. Probate handles wills, estates, and guardianships.
A typical case file holds the original petition or complaint, all motions and responses filed by both sides, orders and rulings by the judge, and the final judgment or decree. In criminal cases, files also contain charging documents, bail orders, and sentencing records. Transcripts, summons, subpoenas, exhibits, and docket entries are all part of the case record.
Public access to court records is established under Alaska Statute 40.25.110, the Alaska Public Records Act, which states that every person has a right to inspect and copy public records. Alaska Administrative Rule 37.5 governs access to court records specifically. Confidential matters, sealed files, juvenile cases, and certain protective order cases are not open to the public. Most court files are available for inspection. Juvenile matters are confidential.
Alaska Appellate Court Records
The Appellate Clerk's Office handles all filings for the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals. The office is at 303 K Street, Anchorage, AK 99501. Phone: (907) 264-0612. Email for filings: pleadings@akcourts.gov. Attorneys must file through TrueFiling for appellate cases. Self-represented litigants may file in person, by mail, or by email to that address.
Appellate courts do not retry cases, take new evidence, or weigh the credibility of witnesses. Their job is to review whether the trial court made a legal error. You cannot contact a justice or judge directly. All requests must go through the Clerk's Office. More details are at the appellate courts directory.
The appellate courts directory at courts.alaska.gov lists contact information and filing procedures for the Alaska Supreme Court and Court of Appeals.
Alaska Court Law Libraries
The Alaska Court System operates public law libraries in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau. These are free to use and helpful for researching statutes, case law, and court rules.
The Anchorage Law Library is at 303 K Street, Anchorage, AK 99501. Phone: (907) 264-0585. Hours vary by day of the week. The Fairbanks Law Library is at 101 Lacey Street, Fairbanks, AK 99701. Phone: (907) 452-9241. Hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM. The Juneau Law Library is at 123 4th Street, Room 410, Juneau, AK 99801. Phone: (907) 463-4761. Hours are Monday through Thursday, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Can't visit in person? The law library helpline offers remote help. Call (907) 264-0856, or toll-free at (888) 282-2082. Email: library@akcourts.gov. The helpline runs Monday through Thursday from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and Sunday from 12:00 noon to 5:00 PM. Full details are on the law library locations page.
The law library locations page at courts.alaska.gov/library shows hours and contact details for public law libraries in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau.
Alaska Court Locations by District
Each of Alaska's four judicial districts has a headquarters court. The First Judicial District is based in Juneau and covers Southeast Alaska. The Second Judicial District operates from Nome and covers Northwest Alaska. The Third Judicial District is headquartered in Anchorage and covers Southcentral Alaska. The Fourth Judicial District runs from Fairbanks and covers Interior and Arctic Alaska. Remote areas are served by traveling magistrates and video conferencing.
The Anchorage Courthouse is at 825 West 4th Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99501, phone (907) 264-0514. The Fairbanks Courthouse is at 101 Lacey Street, Fairbanks, AK 99701, phone (907) 452-9277. The Juneau Courthouse is at 123 4th Street, Juneau, AK 99801, phone (907) 463-4700. Palmer Courthouse at 435 South Denali Street, Palmer, AK 99645, phone (907) 746-8181, serves the fast-growing Matanuska-Susitna Borough. Each courthouse handles both Superior and District Court matters.
The Anchorage court directory lists contact information, hours, and services for the Third Judicial District headquarters serving Anchorage and surrounding communities.
The Fairbanks court directory covers the Fourth Judicial District headquarters with contact details for records requests and all court services.
Alaska Vital Records vs. Court Records
Court records and vital records are different things kept by different agencies. The Alaska Bureau of Vital Statistics maintains birth, death, marriage, and divorce records. Their office is at 5441 Commercial Boulevard, Juneau, AK 99801, phone (907) 465-3391. Visit alaska.gov/dph/vitalstats for ordering instructions. Birth and death certificates cost $30 for the first copy and $25 for each additional copy. Marriage licenses cost $60. Processing times run 4-6 weeks for mail requests.
Vital records have stricter public access rules than court records. Births become public records 100 years after the event. Deaths, marriages, and divorces become public records 50 years after the event. Until those time periods pass, access is limited to authorized persons. If you need a court-issued document rather than a vital record, go through the court system as described above.
Courts.alaska.gov is the central portal for all Alaska court records, case searches, filing forms, fee information, and court locations across the state.
Browse Alaska Court Records by Borough
Alaska court cases are filed in the borough or census area where the matter occurred. Select a borough below to find local court contact information, CourtView access, and resources for that area.
View All 30 Alaska Boroughs & Census Areas
Court Records in Alaska Cities
Alaska residents access court records through the state court system serving their area. Select a city below to find which courts handle cases there and how to search records.