Kochutin v. State

OPINION

Jacob Kochutin is charged with first degree murder and first degree sexual assault of a minor. Acting pursuant to article IV, section 16 of the Alaska Constitution, 1 Chief Justice Jay A. Rabinowitz appointed District Court Judge William H. Fuld to preside as superior court judge pro tempore over Kochutin’s trial and attendant proceedings. Kochutin moved to disqualify Judge Fuld for cause, claiming that Chief Justice Rabinowitz had (1) exceeded his temporary assignment authority because of prior sequential assignments of Judge Fuld to sit as superior court judge pro tempore, 2 and (2)…