State v. Buckalew

BURKE, Justice.

OPINION

The State of Alaska, petitioner, seeks a writ of prohibition preventing the Honorable Seaborn J. Buckalew, Judge of the Superior Court, from sentencing David James Schmid on a pending drug charge. In the event that the petition is granted, the state further seeks assignment of another judge and asks for an order requiring that Schmid be given an opportunity to withdraw his plea of guilty to the charge.

The state’s main contention is that Judge Buckalew acted improperly by participating in negotiations leading to the entry of Schmid’s plea. Since the petition raises a…