--- title: "Jonathan A Woodman | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/jonathan-a-woodman-superior-court-judge-alaska-superior-court-palmer-ak" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-07" --- # Jonathan A Woodman Alaska Superior Court, Judicial District 3 · Superior Court Judge ## Profile - Court: Alaska Superior Court, Judicial District 3 - State: Alaska - Role: Superior Court Judge - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-10-02 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Jonathan A. Woodman is a Superior Court judge for Alaska’s Third Judicial District, appointed in 2016 and serving through 2027, with a background in public service, law, and ethics - Superior Court Judge, Alaska Superior Court, Judicial District 3; from 2016 - Senior Assistant Attorney General and State Ethics Attorney for the Alaska Department of Law (2008–2016); attorney at Guess & Rudd, PC (1999–2008) - Also the presiding judge of the Families with Infants and Toddlers (FIT) Court, a therapeutic court applying early childhood development science to child welfare cases - Before joining the judiciary, Woodman worked in criminal defense, personal injury, and athletics litigation, and served as an assistant public defender. ### Education - The Ohio State University College of Law — J.D. (1993) - SB — Massachusetts Institute of Technology — 1990 ### Additional information - Appointed: October 25, 2016, by former Governor Bill Walker to replace Hon. Eric Smith. - Private practice attorney, 1999-2008 - Licensing: Ohio (1993) and Alaska (2000). - Judge Woodman presides over the Palmer Superior Court in the Third Judicial District, which includes Anchorage, Cordova, Dillingham, Glennallen, Homer, Kenai, Kodiak, Naknek, Palmer, Sand Point, St. Paul Island, Seward, Unalaska, and Valdes. - He handles both civil and criminal cases and serves as Palmer’s deputy presiding judge. - He is a member of the Alaska Bar Association, Ohio State Bar Association, American Bar Association, and other professional organizations. - Woodman emphasizes treating all parties with courtesy, dignity, and respect, and ensuring decisions are fair, impartial, and based on law and facts. - He is active in triathlon, travel, and trivia (three-time Jeopardy champion). ## 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 ### photography filming recording Scope: statewide Alaska generally prohibits photographing, filming, and recording in courthouse common areas unless an application is approved, while separate courtroom and adjacent-area rules remain governed by Administrative Rule 50 and Administrative Bulletin No. 45. Evidence excerpt: Except as specifically authorized by this order, photographing, filming, and recording are permitted in common areas inside the courthouse only upon the issuance of an approved application. [Presiding Judges' Statewide Order on Use of Cameras and Electronic Devices in Common Areas of Court Facilities](https://courts.alaska.gov/jord/docs/2023/statewide-electronic-devices.pdf) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### courtroom media requests Scope: statewide Alaska states that media may request permission from a judicial officer for coverage inside a particular courtroom or adjacent area, and the judicial officer rules on those requests. Evidence excerpt: not intended to interfere with or restrict the rights of the media to request permission from a judicial officer to allow media coverage within a particular courtroom or adjacent area [Presiding Judges' Statewide Order on Use of Cameras and Electronic Devices in Common Areas of Court Facilities](https://courts.alaska.gov/jord/docs/2023/statewide-electronic-devices.pdf) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://courts.alaska.gov/judges/docs/jaw.pdf) - [Official roster](https://courts.alaska.gov/judges/docs/jaw.pdf) - [Alaska Court System official judicial roster](https://courts.alaska.gov/judges/docs/jaw.pdf) - [Presiding Judges' Statewide Order on Use of Cameras and Electronic Devices in Common Areas of Court Facilities](https://courts.alaska.gov/jord/docs/2023/statewide-electronic-devices.pdf) - [Hearings & Trials](https://courts.alaska.gov/trialcourts/hearings.htm) - [ajc.alaska.gov](https://ajc.alaska.gov/judges/judgemain.html) - [courts.alaska.gov](https://courts.alaska.gov/judges/) - [ajc.alaska.gov](https://ajc.alaska.gov/judges/judgemain.html) - [courts.alaska.gov](https://courts.alaska.gov/jord/docs/2023/statewide-electronic-devices.pdf) - [courts.alaska.gov](https://courts.alaska.gov/judges/) - [courts.alaska.gov](https://courts.alaska.gov/judges/docs/jaw.pdf) - [courts.alaska.gov](https://courts.alaska.gov/trialcourts/hearings.htm) - [ajc.alaska.gov](https://ajc.alaska.gov/judges/judgemain.html) - [courts.alaska.gov](https://courts.alaska.gov/jord/docs/2023/statewide-electronic-devices.pdf) - [courts.alaska.gov](https://courts.alaska.gov/judges/) - [courts.alaska.gov](https://courts.alaska.gov/judges/docs/jaw.pdf) - [courts.alaska.gov](https://courts.alaska.gov/trialcourts/hearings.htm) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/jonathan-a-woodman-superior-court-judge-alaska-superior-court-palmer-ak", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/jonathan-a-woodman-superior-court-judge-alaska-superior-court-palmer-ak", "name": "Jonathan A Woodman | KnowJudges", "description": "Jonathan A Woodman, Alaska Superior Court, Judicial District 3. 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Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory. [Official source](https://courts.alaska.gov/jord/docs/2023/statewide-electronic-devices.pdf). Collected 2026-07-26.