State v. City of Anchorage

OPINION

Before RABINOWITZ, C. J., and CONNOR and BOOCHEVER, JJ. BOOCHEVER, Justice.

The central issue in this controversy is whether the State of Alaska or the City of Anchorage must bear the expense of jury trials for defendants charged with viola tions of misdemeanor provisions of city ordinances. 1 This issue in turn involves the construction of AS 22.15.270. 2

Prior to statehood Alaskan cities of the first class maintained and paid for their own court systems to handle violations of their ordinances. Those courts were presided over by an elected municipal magistrate. 3 The Alaska State…