--- title: "Peter J. Maassen | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/peter-j-maassen-3688" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-07" --- # Peter J. Maassen Alaska Supreme Court · Judge ## Profile - Court: Alaska Supreme Court - State: Alaska - Role: Judge - Service status: former - Last verified: 2026-10-02 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - He had been an Associate Justice of the Alaska Supreme Court since August 9, 2012 - served as Chief Justice until January 13, 2025, when he retired - American jurist who served as Chief Justice of the Alaska Supreme Court from February 7, 2023, until his mandatory retirement on January 13, 2025 - Elected by peers in 2022 as Chief Justice, succeeding - Founding partner at Ingaldson, Maassen & Fitzgerald, P.C. (1994–2012) - Partner at Burr, Pease & Kurtz, P.C. (1990–1994) - Associate at Bishop, Cook, Purcell & Reynolds in Washington, D.C. (1988–1989) - Associate at Burr, Pease & Kurtz, P.C. in Anchorage (1980–1987) - Law clerk (1979) in general litigation practice in Minneapolis - Worked in Washington, D.C. in the U.S. Department of Commerce General Counsel's Office and later private federal administrative practice ### Education - B.A. cum laude from Hope College in 1977 and a J.D. cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School in 1980. ### Additional information - Active pro tem judge, current in 2026 - Retained by voters in 2016. - Appointed to the Alaska Supreme Court by Governor Sean Parnell in August 2012, replacing. - Maassen held leadership positions in the Alaska Bar Association (President-Elect 2012, Treasurer 2011–2012) and served on the Alaska Access to Justice Commission and the Judicial Conference Planning Committee. - He was also Editor in Chief of the Alaska Bar Rag (1994–2000). - Founding member, Ingaldson, Maassen & Fitzgerald, P.C., from 1994 - Born January 14, 1955, in Anchorage, Alaska. - Private practice, primarily Anchorage, for most of a 30-year pre-judicial legal career - His personal interests include bicycling, cross-country skiing, reading, writing, and music. - Maassen’s retirement marked a shift to a historic female majority on the Alaska Supreme Court, with Susan M. Carney succeeding him as. - His career reflects a blend of appellate law, judicial administration, and active engagement in Alaska’s legal community. - His tenure included notable cases on ranked-choice voting, ballot eligibility for federal prisoners, and Alaska’s correspondence statute. ## 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://www.courtlistener.com/person/3688/peter-j-maassen/) - [Official roster](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/3688/peter-j-maassen/) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/3688/peter-j-maassen/) - [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/judgformer.html) - [courts.alaska.gov](https://courts.alaska.gov/admin/docs/fy12.pdf) - [courts.alaska.gov](https://courts.alaska.gov/admin/docs/profile.pdf) - [courts.alaska.gov](https://courts.alaska.gov/main/ctinfo.htm) - [www.ajc.state.ak.us](https://www.ajc.state.ak.us/judges/judgformer.html) - [en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_J._Maassen) - [alaskabar.org](https://alaskabar.org/wp-content/uploads/October-December-2022-Alaska-Bar-Rag.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/judgformer.html) - [courts.alaska.gov](https://courts.alaska.gov/admin/docs/fy12.pdf) - [courts.alaska.gov](https://courts.alaska.gov/admin/docs/profile.pdf) - [courts.alaska.gov](https://courts.alaska.gov/jord/docs/2023/statewide-electronic-devices.pdf) - [courts.alaska.gov](https://courts.alaska.gov/main/ctinfo.htm) - [courts.alaska.gov](https://courts.alaska.gov/trialcourts/hearings.htm) - [www.ajc.state.ak.us](https://www.ajc.state.ak.us/judges/judgformer.html) - [en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_J._Maassen) - [alaskabar.org](https://alaskabar.org/wp-content/uploads/October-December-2022-Alaska-Bar-Rag.pdf) - [ajc.alaska.gov](https://ajc.alaska.gov/judges/judgformer.html) - [courts.alaska.gov](https://courts.alaska.gov/admin/docs/fy12.pdf) - [courts.alaska.gov](https://courts.alaska.gov/admin/docs/profile.pdf) - [courts.alaska.gov](https://courts.alaska.gov/jord/docs/2023/statewide-electronic-devices.pdf) - [courts.alaska.gov](https://courts.alaska.gov/main/ctinfo.htm) - [courts.alaska.gov](https://courts.alaska.gov/trialcourts/hearings.htm) - [www.ajc.state.ak.us](https://www.ajc.state.ak.us/judges/judgformer.html) - [en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_J._Maassen) - [alaskabar.org](https://alaskabar.org/wp-content/uploads/October-December-2022-Alaska-Bar-Rag.pdf) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/peter-j-maassen-3688", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/peter-j-maassen-3688", "name": "Peter J. 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