--- title: "Aaron Christian Peterson | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/aaron-christian-peterson" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-09" --- # Aaron Christian Peterson U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska · U.S. District Judge ## Profile - Court: U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska - State: Alaska - Role: U.S. District Judge - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-10-02 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - American judge serving on the United States District Court for the District of Alaska since February 10, 2026 - Judge, U.S. District Court for the; commissioned February 10, 2026 - Senior assistant attorney general, Alaska Department of Law, Civil Division, Natural Resources Section (2019–2026) - Assistant attorney general, Office of Special Prosecutions, Criminal Division, State of Alaska, 2015–2019 - Assistant attorney general, Alaska Department of Law, Criminal Division (2015–2019) - Assistant district attorney, Anchorage District Attorney's Office, Criminal Division, State of Alaska, 2012–2015 - Law clerk to Hon. Michael R. Spaan, Alaska Superior Court, 2010–2011 ### Education - Gonzaga University School of Law — J.D. (2010) - B.B.A. — University of Alaska Anchorage — 2007 ### Additional information - Renominated January 5, 2026. - Nominated to the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska on November 18, 2025; no Senate vote. - Assistant municipal prosecutor, Municipality of Anchorage, 2011–2012. - U.S. Air Force senior airman, 2000–2003. - As U.S. District Judge for the, Peterson has chambers in Anchorage and presides over federal cases in the state District of Alaska | United States District Court. - He is a member of the Federalist Society. - In his state legal role, he prosecuted wildlife crime and commercial fishing cases, and later represented the Department of Fish and Game and the Board of Fisheries in civil and administrative matters AFJ . ## Before you appear - Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed. - Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance. - Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding. ## Courtroom Rules ### civil remote testimony Scope: courtwide In federal district-court civil proceedings, testimony is ordinarily taken in open court; remote contemporaneous testimony requires good cause in compelling circumstances and appropriate safeguards. Evidence excerpt: For good cause in compelling circumstances and with appropriate safeguards, the court may permit testimony in open court by contemporaneous transmission from a different location. [Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court](https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-civil-procedure) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### criminal recording and broadcasting Scope: courtwide Federal district courts may not permit courtroom photography or broadcasting during criminal judicial proceedings unless a statute or another federal rule provides an exception. Evidence excerpt: Except as otherwise provided by a statute or these rules, the court must not permit the taking of photographs in the courtroom during judicial proceedings or the broadcasting of judicial proceedings from the courtroom. [Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited](https://www.uscourts.gov/court-records/access-court-proceedings/remote-public-access-proceedings/history-cameras-broadcasting-and-remote-public-access-courts) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762106) - [Official roster](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762106) - [Federal Judicial Center biography](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762106) - [Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court](https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-civil-procedure) - [Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited](https://www.uscourts.gov/court-records/access-court-proceedings/remote-public-access-proceedings/history-cameras-broadcasting-and-remote-public-access-courts) - [www.akd.uscourts.gov](https://www.akd.uscourts.gov/contacts) - [www.congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/119/crec/2026/02/04/172/25/CREC-2026-02-04.pdf) - [www.courtlistener.com](https://www.courtlistener.com/) - [www.fjc.gov](https://www.fjc.gov/history/judges/peterson-aaron-christian) - [www.akd.uscourts.gov](https://www.akd.uscourts.gov/node/40) - [docs.google.com](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1in6CEh0umt9tQFqElVN8x_lgB-vG26ZBT4eMo0T5DaM/edit) - [www.akd.uscourts.gov](https://www.akd.uscourts.gov/contacts) - [www.congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/119/crec/2026/02/04/172/25/CREC-2026-02-04.pdf) - [www.courtlistener.com](https://www.courtlistener.com/) - [www.fjc.gov](https://www.fjc.gov/history/judges/peterson-aaron-christian) - [www.akd.uscourts.gov](https://www.akd.uscourts.gov/node/40) - [docs.google.com](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1in6CEh0umt9tQFqElVN8x_lgB-vG26ZBT4eMo0T5DaM/edit) - [Biography source for Aaron Christian Peterson](https://www.fjc.gov/history/judges/peterson-aaron-christian) - [www.akd.uscourts.gov](https://www.akd.uscourts.gov/contacts) - [www.congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/119/crec/2026/02/04/172/25/CREC-2026-02-04.pdf) - [www.courtlistener.com](https://www.courtlistener.com/) - [www.fjc.gov](https://www.fjc.gov/history/judges/peterson-aaron-christian) - [www.akd.uscourts.gov](https://www.akd.uscourts.gov/node/40) - [docs.google.com](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1in6CEh0umt9tQFqElVN8x_lgB-vG26ZBT4eMo0T5DaM/edit) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/aaron-christian-peterson", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/aaron-christian-peterson", "name": "Aaron Christian Peterson | KnowJudges", "description": "Aaron Christian Peterson, U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. Source-linked judicial identity, courtroom procedures, and presentation guidance.", "dateModified": "2026-10-09", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/aaron-christian-peterson#judge" } }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/aaron-christian-peterson#judge", "name": "Aaron Christian Peterson", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/aaron-christian-peterson", "jobTitle": "U.S. District Judge", "worksFor": { "@type": "GovernmentOrganization", "name": "U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska" }, "sameAs": [ "https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762106" ], "birthDate": "1981", "birthPlace": "Anchorage, Alaska", "alumniOf": [ { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "University of Alaska Anchorage" }, { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "Gonzaga University School of Law" } ] }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "KnowJudges", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Alaska", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/state/alaska" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Aaron Christian Peterson", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/aaron-christian-peterson" } ] } ] } ``` ## Federal civil docket activity Dataset updated through 2026-06-30. | Period | Assigned cases | Terminated cases | Median disposition (months) | Median sample | | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: | | 1y | 84 | 1 | Not available | 1 | | 2y | 84 | 1 | Not available | 1 | | 5y | 84 | 1 | Not available | 1 | | 10y | 84 | 1 | Not available | 1 | Source: https://www.courtlistener.com/recap/ ## Published courtroom rules ### Shared court rules - [Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, December 1, 2025](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-651872d6e45e0d82319ecccc) — Civil actions in United States District Courts; Rule 81 exceptions apply. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/federal-rules-of-civil-procedure.pdf). Collected 2026-10-27. - [Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, December 1, 2025](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-8721a344fececced2257fe1d) — Criminal proceedings in United States District Courts; this conservative mapping does not distribute appellate-specific provisions to appellate judges. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/federal-rules-of-criminal-procedure.pdf). Collected 2026-10-27.