Juneau Judge Keith Levy is retiring after 11 years on the bench.
A public hearing is scheduled for Monday afternoon for residents to have their say on applicants to the bench in Juneau District Court.
“It’s an opportunity for the people of Juneau to either comment on the applicants or to give the council information about what kinds of qualities they should be looking for a judge in Juneau,” said Susanne DiPietro, executive director of the Alaska Judicial Council.
“That’s why the council comes to the community – one of the reasons the council comes to the community is to hear from the people about their community,” DiPietro said. “So, what are the challenges in Juneau, what are the strengths, what qualities would a district court judge in Juneau need to sort of fit in or to meet the challenges.”
The hearing starts at 3:45 p.m. Monday at the Dimond Courthouse.
Ten lawyers have applied to replace Levy on the bench:
- Assistant public defender Timothy Ayer of Juneau,
- assistant public defender Jeff Bradley from Palmer,
- magistrate Romano DiBenedetto from Fairbanks,
- magistrate Michael Franciosi from Glennallen,
- private attorney Kevin Higgins of Juneau,
- Juneau municipal attorney Amy Mead,
- private attorney Kirsten Swanson of Juneau,
- private attorney Leon Vance of Juneau,
- assistant attorney general Joan Wilkerson who has been specializing in pension and employment law in Juneau, and
- private attorney Julie Willoughby of Juneau.
The council will interview each of the applicants on Monday and Tuesday.
DiPietro said they may consider each applicant’s performance as a lawyer and ask about past cases.
“How they performed as a lawyer is certainly an indicator,” DiPietro said. “But really the ultimate issue for the council is not how were they as a lawyer, but how would they be as a judge because there is a difference between the advocacy that you do as a lawyer where you’re proud of a particular outcome that you got for your client, and what you do as a judge which is to sit and not make up your mind about what the outcome should be until all of the evidence is in. Be completely fair and to be not rooting for one side of the other the way that you are as an advocate.”
Tuesday afternoon, members of the Alaska Judicial Council will vote to select at least two of the most qualified nominees. Gov. Bill Walker will make a selection from that short list.
