Hiring a Criminal Defense Lawyer in Alaska
How criminal defense lawyers in Alaska charge, your right to a court-appointed lawyer, how bail works, how to check a lawyer's license, and free help. We do not recommend or rank lawyers.
What a lawyer costs in Alaska: fee rules
| Rules on contingency fees | Contingent fees are allowed except where Rule 1.5(d) or other law prohibits them. A fee agreement that is wholly or partly contingent must be in writing and state the method for figuring the fee, including the percentage(s) to the lawyer on settlement, trial or appeal, the litigation and other expenses deducted from the recovery, and whether expenses come out before or after the fee is calculated. Alaska adds that the written agreement must include the Rule 1.4(c) malpractice-insurance disclosure (required if the lawyer lacks coverage of at least $100,000 per claim and $300,000 aggregate) and state any costs, fees or expenses the client may owe the lawyer or the opposing party. At the end, the lawyer must give a written statement of the outcome and the client's share. Contingent fees are banned for criminal defendants and for domestic relations fees contingent on securing a divorce or on establishing or modifying alimony, support or a property settlement. |
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| If you disagree with a lawyer's bill | The Alaska Bar runs a fee arbitration program for disputes with a lawyer licensed in Alaska or over legal services in a matter conducted in Alaska. You must first try to resolve the dispute with the lawyer; it is not available when the fee was set by a court decision, statute or court rule. After the petition (mailed with an original signature) is filed, the lawyer gets a 10-day grace period to resolve it. Disputes of $5,000 or less are heard by one committee member; larger ones by a three-member panel including a non-lawyer. The decision is final and binding, and the hearing may proceed if a party fails to appear. If you hired the lawyer more than 3 years ago, you must explain the delay. |
| If a lawyer takes your money | The Alaska Bar's Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection, administered by the Board of Governors, can compensate people who lost money, property or other things of value because of a lawyer's dishonest conduct, if the loss is not covered by insurance or a bond and meets Alaska Bar Rule 45. The LFCP Committee investigates and the Board decides; compensation is in the Board's sole discretion. |
Alaska rules to know first
| Getting a court-appointed lawyer | If you are charged with a criminal offense and cannot afford to hire an attorney, you are entitled to a court-appointed attorney, often from the state Public Defender Agency. At your court appearance the judge will ask whether you want the court to appoint a lawyer and will either question you about your finances or ask you to fill out a financial statement, under oath. If you are convicted the court will enter a judgment for part of the cost of appointed counsel based on a schedule in Criminal Rule 39(d); for a case that ends at trial: $500 (misdemeanor), $1,500 (class B or C felony), $2,500 (class A or unclassified felony), $5,000 (first- or second-degree murder); a misdemeanor change of plea is $200. If you are not convicted, you usually will not have to pay. A denial can be reviewed by the presiding judge if requested within 3 days (form CR-212). Process details from CR-204 (May 2005): https://public.courts.alaska.gov/web/forms/docs/cr-204.pdf |
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| Bail and release before trial | A judge sets bail; for felonies the defendant goes before the court within 24 hours after arrest. In setting bail the judge takes into account the seriousness of the crime, whether the defendant is a risk to the community, and whether he or she is a flight risk, and must consider the safety of the victim and the community. Release can be on the defendant's own recognizance, on an unsecured or secured appearance bond, with a third-party custodian (usually a relative or employer) who will be with the defendant and make sure he or she goes to court, and with conditions such as no drinking, driving or contact with the victim. The defense attorney can request a bail hearing, and a defendant can apply for bail review (AS 12.30.006). A statewide misdemeanor bail schedule (dated April 13, 2023) says most misdemeanor defendants arrested without a warrant are released on their own recognizance with standard conditions, sets cash bail for listed offenses (e.g. $500 for a first non-DV assault, $1000 for a second or subsequent non-DV assault), and does not apply to felonies; people charged with domestic violence crimes or second-degree stalking are held until they appear before a judicial officer. Bail schedule: https://courts.alaska.gov/jord/docs/2023/statewide-misdo-bail-schedule.pdf |
| Felony classes and sentences | Alaska felonies are unclassified (the most serious, with the longest possible sentences) and Class A, B and C. A class A felony may be punished by a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years and a maximum fine of $250,000. A class B felony carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years and maximum fine of $100,000. A class C felony is punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000. Felony fines can reach $500,000, depending on the type of crime. Class A/B figures: https://law.alaska.gov/pdf/opinions/opinions_2009/09-003_JU2009-200-397.pdf ; Class C: https://courts.alaska.gov/shc/criminal/glossary.htm |
Find and check a lawyer
| Lawyer referral service | The Alaska Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service lists Alaska lawyers in good standing by practice area. A Lawyer Referral Service Assistant (not a lawyer, and unable to give legal advice) takes your name and a short description of the problem and gives you the names and phone numbers of up to three lawyers who handle that type of issue. Participating lawyers "will charge no more than $125 for the first half-hour of consultation"; later fees are agreed with the lawyer. The service does not rate lawyers and has no list of free or low-fee lawyers. Phone 907-272-0352, toll-free in Alaska 1-800-770-9999, email LRS@alaskabar.org; open 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. and 1:00-4:00 p.m., Monday-Friday. |
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| Check that the lawyer is licensed | The Alaska Bar Association (840 K Street, Suite 100, Anchorage) offers an online lawyer directory on its Member Directories page for searching Alaska Bar members. |
| Check discipline history or file a complaint | Grievances about an Alaska lawyer go to the Alaska Bar Association. Review the bar's linked explanations first, then fill out the Attorney Grievance Form, print, sign and date it, and mail the original (no electronic, faxed or photocopied forms) to 840 K Street, Suite 100, Anchorage, AK 99501-3353, describing what the lawyer did or failed to do and attaching supporting documents. No filing fee is mentioned. Public discipline can be checked through the bar's Attorney Public Discipline Search; the bar also posts public notices regarding attorneys. Bar phone: 907-272-7469. Public discipline search: https://justiceweb.alaskabar.org/justiceweb |
Free legal help
| Free legal aid | Alaska Legal Services Corporation is the LSC-funded civil legal aid organization for Alaska and provides free civil legal help to eligible low-income Alaskans. The Alaska Court System's Self-Help Center offers free legal information and forms for people representing themselves. Court self-help: https://courts.alaska.gov/shc/index.htm |
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All legal help in Alaska · Background guide
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.