Severson v. Municipality of Anchorage

OPINION

SINGLETON, Judge.

Chester J. Severson, through counsel, pled no contest and was convicted of one count of driving while intoxicated on April 29, 1982. Anchorage Municipal Code (AMC) § 09.28.020(A). Approximately seven years later Severson moved to withdraw his plea, pursuant to Alaska Rule of Criminal Procedure 11, arguing that the trial court failed to substantially comply with the requirements of that rule in taking Severson’s no contest plea. Specifically, Severson argued that the trial court did not personally address him to determine if he understood the nature of the charge, did…