Four presiding judges for 2017 have been appointed by the Chief Justice of the Alaska Supreme Court. In a release late last month, the Alaska Court System announced Chief Justice Craig Stowers’ appointments for the four judicial districts in the state.
Superior Court Judge Paul A. Roetman will serve the Second Judicial District, which covers Nome and Kotzebue, south to Stebbins and St. Michael, and north up to Barrow. Judge Roetman was appointed to the superior court in Kotzebue in 2010 and has lived in the state for more than 40 years.
Judge Michael A. MacDonald was selected to serve the Fourth Judicial District, which crosses the state from southwest of Bethel to communities like Hooper Bay, Emmonak, and St. Mary’s, and east to the Canadian border.
Superior Court Judge Trevor N. Stephens will serve the First Judicial District in the Southeast, while Judge William F. Morse will serve the Third District covering areas near Anchorage.
The presiding judges are responsible for maintaining regular judicial duties, as well as managing the business of courts and budgets, supervising case assignments and administrative actions of judges and court personnel, in addition to reviewing trial courts within their districts.
The judges are appointed for one calendar-year term and can be reappointed.
