Notice of Appearance - Alaska

NOTICE OF APPEARANCE

State of Alaska -- Superior Court / District Court

COURT HEADER AND CASE CAPTION

IN THE [________________________________] COURT FOR THE STATE OF ALASKA

[________________________________] JUDICIAL DISTRICT AT [________________________________]

Case No.: [________________________________]

Select Court Level:

☐ Superior Court
☐ District Court

Select Judicial District:

☐ First Judicial District (Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka)
☐ Second Judicial District (Barrow, Kotzebue, Nome)
☐ Third Judicial District (Anchorage, Kenai, Kodiak, Palmer, Valdez)
☐ Fourth Judicial District (Bethel, Fairbanks)

NOTICE OF APPEARANCE OF COUNSEL

TO THE CLERK OF THE COURT AND ALL PARTIES OF RECORD:

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the undersigned attorney hereby enters an appearance in the above-captioned matter on behalf of [________________________________] ("Client"), as follows:

1. ATTORNEY INFORMATION

2. CLIENT AND PARTY INFORMATION

The undersigned attorney enters this appearance on behalf of:

Client Name: [________________________________]

Client's Role in this Matter:

☐ Plaintiff
☐ Defendant
☐ Third-Party Plaintiff
☐ Third-Party Defendant
☐ Cross-Claimant
☐ Cross-Defendant
☐ Intervenor
☐ Other: [________________________________]

3. TYPE OF APPEARANCE

Pursuant to Alaska Rule of Civil Procedure 81, the undersigned enters a:

A. General Appearance

☐ General Appearance -- The undersigned enters a general appearance and will represent the above-named Client in all aspects of this matter. The undersigned submits to the jurisdiction of this Court on behalf of the Client and waives any objection to personal jurisdiction or venue by virtue of this appearance.

B. Limited Appearance

☐ Limited Appearance -- Pursuant to Alaska R. Civ. P. 81(d), the undersigned enters a limited appearance on behalf of the Client. The scope of this limited representation is as follows:

Scope of Limited Representation:

☐ Specific hearing or proceeding on [__/__/____]
☐ Specific motion(s): [________________________________]
☐ Discovery matters only
☐ Settlement negotiations only
☐ Trial only
☐ Appeal only
☐ Other specific limitation: [________________________________]

Description of limitation: [________________________________]

Note: Under Alaska R. Civ. P. 81(d), the entry of limited appearance must clearly identify the limitation and be filed and served before or during the initial proceeding covered by the limited representation. The limited appearance shall automatically terminate upon the conclusion of the identified proceeding(s) or event(s), and the attorney may withdraw by filing a notice under Rule 81(e)(D) without court approval.

C. Special Appearance

☐ Special Appearance -- The undersigned enters a special appearance solely for the purpose of contesting this Court's jurisdiction over the Client pursuant to Alaska R. Civ. P. 12(b)(2). This special appearance does not constitute a general appearance and does not waive any objection to personal jurisdiction.

4. CONSENT TO ELECTRONIC SERVICE

Under Alaska Civil Rule 5.1(c), a person may consent to email or fax service for papers eligible for Rule 5(b) service by indicating consent beneath the signature in an initial filing or by a separate filed and served notice. In an eFiling case, Administrative Bulletin 92 § 16(a) treats TrueFiling registration, an email address provided to the court, or an attorney's entry of appearance as consent to electronic service in the matter.

☐ The undersigned is registered in TrueFiling or has provided an email address to the court. Service email: [________________________________]

☐ This filing is outside an eFiling case, and the undersigned separately consents to service by ☐ email ☐ fax under Civil Rule 5.1(c). Address or number: [________________________________]

TrueFiling Registration Status:

☐ Attorney is registered with TrueFiling and will file and receive service electronically.
☐ Attorney is in the process of registering with TrueFiling; confirm the filing and service requirements before use.
☐ This case type does not use TrueFiling (identify case type and court direction): [________________________________]

IMPORTANT: Check the current Alaska Court System eFile page for covered case types. All lawyers registered with the Alaska bar must use TrueFiling for eFiling cases.

5. SUBSTITUTION OR ADDITIONAL COUNSEL

☐ This is a new appearance -- no prior counsel has appeared for this Client.

☐ This is an additional appearance -- the undersigned is appearing as co-counsel alongside: [________________________________] (Alaska Bar No. [________]).

☐ This is a substitution of counsel -- the undersigned is replacing:

Note: If substituting for prior counsel, a separate Substitution of Attorney must be filed pursuant to Alaska R. Civ. P. 81(c) and (e). The prior attorney's withdrawal is not effective until the substitution is filed and served, unless the court orders otherwise.

☐ Client previously appeared pro se. The undersigned now enters an appearance to replace the Client's self-representation.

6. PRO HAC VICE ADMISSION (Out-of-State Attorneys)

☐ Not applicable -- attorney is a member of the Alaska Bar.

☐ The undersigned seeks to appear pro hac vice in this matter and submits the following:

Pro Hac Vice Requirements (Alaska Bar Association):

☐ A Motion to Participate has been filed with this Court.
☐ A Certificate of Good Standing (issued within 60 days) from each jurisdiction of admission is attached.
☐ The non-refundable application fee of $660.00 (or amount equal to annual Alaska Bar dues) has been submitted to the Alaska Bar Association, PO Box 100279, Anchorage, AK 99510-0279.
☐ Certificates from all jurisdictions where the out-of-state attorney is admitted are included.

Sponsoring Local Counsel:

Local counsel acknowledges responsibility to participate meaningfully in the matter and to ensure compliance with Alaska court rules and procedures.

7. SERVICE REQUEST

The Clerk of the Court and all counsel of record are respectfully requested to direct all future pleadings, motions, notices, orders, and other communications to the undersigned at the address, email, and/or TrueFiling account identified in Section 1 above.

8. SIGNATURE BLOCK

DATED: [__/__/____]

Respectfully submitted,

[________________________________]
(Law Firm Name)

By: ________________________________________

[________________________________]

Alaska Bar No. [________________________________]

Attorney for [________________________________]

Address: [________________________________]
[________________________________], AK [________]
Phone: [________________________________]
Email: [________________________________]

9. CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

For any recipient served outside TrueFiling, I certify that on the dates below I served a true and correct copy of this NOTICE OF APPEARANCE by the method indicated, in accordance with Alaska R. Civ. P. 5 and applicable Rule 5.1(c) consent:

For service completed through TrueFiling, retain the certificate generated by the system; no separate certificate is required under Bulletin 92 § 16(c). For a nonuser, indicate the actual alternative method and date.

________________________________________
[________________________________]
Alaska Bar No. [________________________________]

PRACTITIONER NOTES AND GUIDANCE

E-Filing Requirements (TrueFiling)

• Mandatory E-Filing: Check the court's current eFile page for covered case types. All lawyers registered with the Alaska bar must use TrueFiling for eFiling cases.
• Filing Deadline: Documents filed through TrueFiling before 11:59 PM Alaska Time are considered filed that day.
• Provisional Rules: TrueFiling provisional rules (effective June 16, 2025, as amended) supplement the standard Alaska Rules of Court.
• Exemptions: The court's current eFile page lists exemptions for qualifying self-represented litigants; check the applicable case type and current Bulletin 92.
• Service via TrueFiling: In an eFiling case, serve users through TrueFiling under Bulletin 92 § 16(b); for a nonuser, follow § 16(d).

Appearance vs. Answer Deadlines

• Filing a Notice of Appearance alone does NOT extend the deadline to file an Answer or responsive pleading under Alaska R. Civ. P. 12(a).
• The standard answer deadline is 20 days after service of the summons and complaint (Alaska R. Civ. P. 12(a)(1)).
• A Notice of Appearance may be filed at any time during the pendency of the case, but responsive pleading deadlines run independently.

Limited Appearance Practice

• Under Alaska R. Civ. P. 81(d), attorneys may file limited appearances in non-criminal cases.
• The entry of limited appearance must clearly identify the scope of representation.
• An attorney may withdraw from a limited appearance under Rule 81(e)(D) by filing a notice indicating that the representation has ended -- no court approval is required.
• The attorney must serve the withdrawal notice on all parties of record.

Withdrawal of Counsel

Under Alaska R. Civ. P. 81(e), an attorney may withdraw when:

• The party expressly consents in open court or in writing;
• The party has provided a current service address and telephone number;
• The withdrawing attorney has provided the client a list of all pending deadlines, hearing dates, and trial dates; OR
• The party has other counsel ready to substitute.

If these conditions are not met, the attorney must move the court for leave to withdraw.

Alaska Court Structure

Filing Fees and Costs

Service Methods Under Alaska R. Civ. P. 5

Common Errors to Avoid

1. Filing Without TrueFiling Registration: Confirm the case is covered by TrueFiling and the filer is registered before submitting electronically.
2. Missing Bar Number: Every pleading must include the Alaska Bar number. Omission may result in the filing being rejected or stricken.
3. Confusing Appearance with Answer: A Notice of Appearance does not constitute a responsive pleading and does not stop the clock on the answer deadline under Rule 12(a).
4. Failure to Serve All Parties: The certificate of service must account for all parties of record, including pro se parties who may not be on TrueFiling.
5. Improper Limited Appearance Scope: If the limited appearance does not clearly identify the limitation, the court may treat it as a general appearance.
6. Late Pro Hac Vice Filing: Out-of-state attorneys must obtain pro hac vice admission before appearing. Filing documents or appearing at hearings without admission may subject the attorney to sanctions.

Key Practice Tips

1. Attorney Registration: All attorneys must be registered with the Alaska Bar Association and maintain current contact information under Administrative Rule 12.
2. Bar Number on All Pleadings: Include your Alaska Bar number on every document filed with the court.
3. Proof of Service: Retain all proof of service (TrueFiling confirmations, mail receipts, delivery confirmations) for potential contested service motions.
4. Courtesy Copies: Check local standing orders for whether courtesy copies to the assigned judge are required in your judicial district.
5. Pro Se Transition: When a party transitions from pro se to attorney representation, file both a Notice of Appearance and ensure the client's pro se filing address is updated in court records.
6. Multiple Judicial Districts: Alaska is vast geographically. Confirm the correct judicial district and court location before filing, particularly for the Second Judicial District (covering remote areas of Northern and Western Alaska).
7. Time Zone Awareness: Alaska operates on Alaska Standard Time (AKST). TrueFiling deadlines are based on 11:59 PM Alaska Time.
8. Standing Orders: Each judicial district and individual judge may have standing orders with specific requirements. Review all applicable standing orders before your first filing in a case.

Alaska Bar Association Contact Information

SOURCES AND REFERENCES

• Alaska Rules of Civil Procedure: https://courts.alaska.gov/rules/docs/civ.pdf
• Alaska Bar Association Pro Hac Vice: https://admissions.alaskabar.org/pro-hac-vice
• Alaska TrueFiling Information: https://courts.alaska.gov/efile/index.htm
• TrueFiling User Guide: https://courts.alaska.gov/efile/docs/userguide.pdf
• Alaska Administrative Bulletin 92: https://courts.alaska.gov/adbulls/docs/ab92.pdf