AJC Home > Retention Election Information > Patricia L. Haines
VOTE YES
Patricia L. Haines
Fairbanks Superior Court | Fourth Judicial District
Judge Haines was appointed to the Fairbanks Superior Court in April of 2021. This is her first retention election.
Performance Summary
After conducting its performance review, the Judicial Council determined that Judge Haines 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 Haines met or exceeded educational requirements set by the Alaska Supreme Court, complied with judicial ethics requirements, and made significant contributions to the community and to the administration of justice.
Because Judge Haines met or exceeded all performance and educational 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 Haines include:
-
Ratings by justice system professionals: Attorneys who appeared before Judge Haines gave her excellent reviews (4.7 overall), as did court employees (5.0 overall). Other justice system professionals who appeared in Judge Haines’ courtroom also rated her highly. The chart provided summarizes Judge Haines’ survey ratings.
Juror Survey:
Jurors who served in Judge Haines’ courtroom were surveyed about her performance, and they gave her excellent ratings. The chart provided summarizes Judge Haines' juror survey ratings.- Detailed survey ratings can be viewed here.
Professional and community activities: Judge Haines made significant contributions to the administration of justice and the community during her term in office.
- She served on the court system’s Workplace Conduct Committee, a group established by the Alaska Supreme Court to review and revise the court system’s discrimination and discriminatory harassment policy consistent with best practices, as well to consider policies to address incivility and other conduct that negatively impacts the work environment.
- She served on the court system’s Appellate Rules Committee, a group that reviews and revises the rules governing cases filed in the appellate courts.
- She served on the court system’s Criminal Pattern Jury Instructions Committee, a group that reviews and revises jury instructions used by judges and lawyers in criminal cases.
- More information about Judge Haines's professional, educational, and outreach activites can be found here.
Other performance indicators: A review of Judge Haines’ 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 Haines was paid on schedule, and she certified that she had no untimely decisions.
Ethics: There were no public disciplinary proceedings against Judge Haines, and the Council’s review found no ethical concerns.
