Alaska R. Admin. 18 (2026)

Rule 18. Superior and District Courts—Time and Place of Sitting. (a) Superior and District Courts—When Open for Business. The superior and district courts shall be open for the transaction of business during business hours from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. on all days except judicial holidays and Saturdays; provided, however, that the courts may at any time extend these hours as circumstances may require or as may be ordered by the presiding judge. The presiding judge may authorize the closure of an office for up to one hour per week for staff meetings and training under a plan approved by the administrative director. The clerk of court must give advance notice of the closure by posting notices on the court’s bulletin board, on the doors of the courthouse, and in the clerk’s office. (b) Magistrate Judges—Time of Sitting—Office Hours. Magistrate judges shall sit in the conduct of trials and hearings as the business of their courts and the status of their calendars require. Offices of full-time magistrate judges shall be open to the public for the transaction of business during business hours from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. on all days except judicial holidays and Saturdays. Offices of part-time magistrate judges shall be open to the public for the transaction of business as prescribed by the presiding judge. In addition, magistrate judges shall be available at all times: (1) to issue arrest warrants, search warrants, and summonses in criminal cases; (2) to set bail; (3) as may be necessary to conduct proceedings required under Criminal Rule 5, District Court Criminal Rule 1, CINA Rule 5 and Delinquency Rule 5; and (4) to make emergency appointments of temporary property custodians under AS 22.15.110(a)(3). Weekend and holiday duty must be equitably shared between magistrate judges and other judges except at court locations at which committing magistrate judges have been hired to perform weekend and holiday duty. (c) Courts Open During Noon Hour. All courts with more than two employees will be open for business during the noon hour (12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m.) unless otherwise authorized by the administrative director. (Adopted by SCO 412 effective July 1, 1980; amended by SCO 455 effective March 15, 1981; by SCO 885 effective July 15, 1988; by SCO 1207 effective July 15, 1995; by SCO 1223 effective nunc pro tunc to September 1, 1995; by SCO 1285 effective January 15, 1998; by SCO 1829 effective October 15, 2014; and by SCO 1976 effective September 7, 2021)