AJC Home > Retention Election Information > Rachel Ahrens
VOTE YES
Rachel Ahrens
Valdez Superior Court | Third Judicial District
Judge Ahrens was appointed to the Valdez Superior Court in December of 2019. This is her first retention election.
Performance Summary
After conducting its performance review, the Judicial Council determined that Judge Ahrens met or exceeded performance standards on all criteria, including professional competence and legal ability, integrity, impartiality and fairness, temperament, diligence, and administrative skills.
The Council also determined that Judge Ahrens met or exceeded educational requirements set by the Alaska Supreme Court, and she complied with judicial ethics requirements.
Because Judge Ahrens met or exceeded all performance and professional development standards, the Alaska Judicial Council recommends a “yes” vote on retention in office.
Performance Findings
The Council conducts a thorough performance review of each judge standing for retention. Key findings for Judge Ahrens include:
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Ratings by justice system professionals: Attorneys who appeared before Judge Ahrens gave her excellent reviews (4.2 overall), as did court employees (5.0 overall). The chart provided summarizes Judge Ahrens's survey ratings.
Juror Survey: Jurors who served in Judge Ahrens’ courtroom were surveyed about her performance, and they gave her excellent ratings. The chart provided summarizes Judge Ahrens's juror survey ratings.- Detailed survey ratings can be viewed here.
Professional activities: Judge Ahrens is a member of the National Association of Women Judges, and she participated in Success Inside and Out, a program that helps incarcerated women re-enter the community.
- More information about Judge Ahrens's professional, educational, and outreach activities can be found here.
Other performance indicators: A review of Judge Ahrens’s financial and conflict of interest statements showed she complied with all disclosure requirements.
Timeliness: Alaska law requires judges’ pay be withheld when a decision has been pending longer than six months. The Council verified that Judge Ahrens was paid on schedule, and she certified that she had no untimely decisions.
Ethics: There were no public disciplinary proceedings against Judge Ahrens, and the Council’s review found no ethical concerns.
