Facing a criminal charge in Alaska

Bond and pretrial release in Alaska

Article I Section 11 of the Alaska Constitution provides a right to bail before conviction except for capital offenses when proof is evident or presumption great. Alaska Statutes Title 12 Chapter 30 (AS 12.30) governs pretrial release. AS 12.30.011 directs the court to order release on personal recognizance or an unsecured appearance bond unless the court finds those conditions will not reasonably assure appearance or the safety of the community. AS 12.30.020 enumerates additional conditions including third-party custodian, supervised release, performance bonds, and secured bonds. AS 12.30.006 sets the timing for bail review hearings. The Alaska Court System publishes statewide bail schedules for minor offenses under Administrative Bulletin 09 (Bail Schedule).

Bond amounts, conditions, and timelines vary by county and judge. Confirm with counsel or the court.

Criminal defense attorneys serving Alaska

Our directory is still building in Alaska. Public-defender intake is available now.

Record clearing in Alaska

Alaska does not have a general adult-conviction expungement statute. Alaska Statutes 12.62.180 allows limited sealing of criminal justice information, and post-conviction relief under Criminal Rule 35.1 may apply in specific circumstances. The statute provides only narrow record-correction and limited-access provisions; Alaska has no general expungement of conviction records, and serious felonies, sex offenses, and crimes against the person remain on the criminal-history record. Petitions are filed in the trial court that handled the underlying matter.

Eligibility, waiting periods, and the petition vs. automatic pathway depend on the conviction class and the date of the offense. Confirm with counsel or the court record.

Public defender intake in Alaska

Public Defender Agency, State of Alaska serves STATEWIDE County. Public defenders are appointed by the court based on financial eligibility. We do not refer you to a specific public defender and we do not represent you.

Public defenders are appointed by the court based on financial eligibility. LawSensai does not refer you to a public defender and does not represent you. This packet is a courtesy summary you can share with your public defender or their intake staff. You remain responsible for applying to the court for appointed counsel.