State accepting public comments about Juneau judge applicants

The Alaska Judicial Council will hold a public hearing Monday to receive comments about Juneau District Court judgeship applicants vying to take over a seat Judge Keith Levy will vacate in October.

The public hearing will begin at 3:45 p.m. Monday at the Dimond Courthouse, 123 Fourth St.

The Council will interview candidates for the Juneau judgeship, and other candidates for a Palmer Superior Court judgeship as well, throughout the week. Those interviews are not open to the public.

The applicants for the Juneau seat are eight attorneys and two magistrates. Here’s a complete list of applicants for the Juneau position:

• Timothy Ayer: Alaska resident for five and a half years, practicing law for five and a half years. Currently an assistant public defender in Juneau.

• Jeff Bradley: Alaska resident for nine years, practicing law for eight and a half years. Currently an assistant public defender in Palmer.

• Romano D. DiBenedetto: Alaska resident for five years, practicing law for 21 years. Currently a magistrate in Fairbanks.

• Michael Joseph Franciosi: Alaska resident for 20 and a half years, practicing law for 24 and a half years. Currently a magistrate in Glennallen.

• Kevin Andrew Higgins: Alaska resident for nine years, practicing law for eight and a half years. Currently practicing privately in Juneau.

• Amy Gurton Mead: Alaska resident for 19 and a half years, practicing law for 19 years. Currently the Municipal Attorney for CBJ.

• Kristen Swanson: Alaska resident for 17 and a half years, practicing law for 20 and a half years. Currently practicing privately in Juneau.

• Leon Vance: Alaska resident for 32 and a half years, practicing law for 33 and a half years. Currently practicing privately in Juneau.

• Joan Wilkerson: Alaska resident for 28 years, practicing law for 14 years. Currently the assistant state attorney general in Juneau.

• Julie Willoughby: Alaska resident for 30 years, practicing law for 17 and a half years. Currently practicing privately in Juneau.

More information about the judgeships and the applicants is available at www.ajc.state.ak.us.

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