clerk's responsibilities include monitoring the caseflow through the supreme court and the court of appeals and making recommendations for improvements in appellate procedure. The clerk is also responsible for all case filing and calendaring, publishing opinions, and related tasks. The clerk's office is located in Anchorage, and deputy clerks are located in Juneau, Anchorage, and Fairbanks. Marilyn May was appointed clerk of the appellate courts in October 1998. Officers Judges Alaska uses a Missouri Plan merit selection system for judges and justices. The governor appoints a justice or judge from a list of qualified candidates submitted by the Alaska Judicial Council. The governor has 45 days from receipt of the list to make the appointment. All judges and justices in Alaska must stand for judicial retention elections (approval by the voters) on a nonpartisan ballot at the first statewide general election held more than three years after appointment (two for District Court judges), and periodically thereafter. Magistrates are appointed by the presiding superior court judge of a judicial district. History The supreme court and the superior courts were established in the Alaska constitution, which took effect upon statehood in 1959. Later that year, the Alaska legislature created a district court for each judicial district and granted power to the supreme court to increase or decrease the number of district court judges. In 1980, to ease the appellate burden on the supreme court, the legislature created a court of appeals. See also Law enforcement in Alaska References External links Alaska Court System Alaska Trial Courts Alaska Appellate Courts National Center for State Courts Alaska