AJC Home > Retention Election Information > Maria P. Bahr
VOTE YES
Maria P. Bahr
Fairbanks District Court | Fourth Judicial District
Judge Bahr was appointed to the Fairbanks District Court in April of 2021. This is her first retention election.
Performance Summary
After conducting its performance review, the Judicial Council determined that Judge Bahr 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 Bahr met or exceeded educational requirements set by the Alaska Supreme Court, and complied with judicial ethics requirements.
Because Judge Bahr 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 Bahr include:
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Ratings by justice system professionals: Attorneys who appeared before Judge Bahr gave her excellent reviews (4.3 overall), as did court employees (4.7 overall), and peace and probation officers (3.2 overall). The chart provided summarizes Judge Bahr’s survey ratings.
Juror Survey:Jurors who served in Judge Bahr's courtroom were surveyed about her performance, and they gave her excellent ratings. The chart provided summarizes Judge Bahr's juror survey ratings.- Detailed survey ratings can be viewed here.
Professional and community activities:
- Judge Bahr served on the Alaska Bar Association’s Ethics Committee, a group that issues ethics opinions to members of the Alaska Bar, and on the Alaska Bar Association’s Rules Committee, a group that proposes revisions to the ethical rules governing lawyers.
- She served on the court system’s Magistrate Judge Conference Planning Committee, a group that plans the speakers and curriculum for the annual magistrate training conference.
Other performance indicators: A review of Judge Bahr’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 Bahr was paid on schedule, and she certified that she had no untimely decisions.
Ethics: There were no public disciplinary proceedings against Judge Bahr, and the Council’s review found no ethical concerns.
