William L. Estelle
William L. Estelle was a judge of the Alaska Third District District Court. He assumed office in 2003. He left office in 2021.
Estelle ran for re-election for judge of the Alaska Third District District Court. He won in the retention election on November 6, 2018.
Estelle was appointed to the court on June 11, 2003, by Governor Frank Murkowski.[1]
Elections
2018
Alaska Third District District Court, Estelle's seat
William L. Estelle was retained to the Alaska Third District District Court on November 6, 2018 with 58.3% of the vote.
Retention Vote |
% |
Votes |
|||
✔ | Yes |
58.3
|
94,610 | ||
No |
41.7
|
67,596 | |||
Total Votes |
162,206 |
|
2014
Estelle was retained to the Third District Court with 54.3 percent of the vote on November 4, 2014. [2]
2010
Estelle was retained to the district court in 2010. The Alaska Judicial Council supported his retention.[3][4]
- Main article: Alaska judicial elections, 2010
- See also: Alaska Judges up for Retention Election in 2010
Education
Estelle received his undergraduate degree from the University of Alaska in 1980 and his J.D. degree from Duke University in 1983.[5][6]
Career
- 2003-2021: Judge, Alaska Third District
- 1987-2003: Assistant district attorney, Palmer, Alaska
- 1985-1987: Assistant attorney general, Alaska Department of Law
- 1984-1985: Associate, Middleton, Timme & McKay
- 1983-1984: Law clerk to Honorable Victor D. Carlson, Anchorage Superior Court
- 1982: Summer law clerk, Bradbury, Bliss & Riordan, Inc. [6]
Noteworthy events
Estelle suspended for 45 days
On September 12, 2014, the Alaska Supreme Court approved the Alaska Commission on Judicial Conduct's recommendation that Estelle be suspended from the bench for 45 days without pay. The commission found that Estelle, from September 2011 to February 2013, had signed pay affidavits incorrectly stating that he had no matters that were undecided for more than six months.[7][8]
Under Alaska law, judges cannot be paid if they have uncompleted cases for more than six months. The court in its opinion noted that Estelle's errors were unintentional, and thus this served as a mitigating factor to reduce the suspension from the warranted six months to a shortened 45 days.[7][8]
Alaska Judicial Council Recommendation
The Alaska Judicial Council did not recommend Estelle for retention in 2014. In a press release, the council stated that Estelle had filed 16 untrue affidavits that claimed he had finished cases within the appropriate time constraints.[9]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Alaska Judicial Council, "Current Alaska Judges," accessed August 13, 2014
- ↑ Alaska Division of Elections, "2014 General Official Candidate List - Judicial," accessed August 6, 2014
- ↑ Alaska Judicial Council, "Press Release: Judicial Council Recommends that Voters Retain 27 out of 28 Judges," July 5, 2010
- ↑ State of Alaska Division of Elections, "November 2, 2010 General Election Candidate List," accessed September 15, 2014
- ↑ Martindale.com, "Judge Profile: William L. Estelle," accessed September 15, 2014
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Alaska Judicial Council, "William L. Estelle's Application for Judicial Appointment," February 7, 2003
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 In the Supreme Court of the State of Alaska, "In re William Estelle," September 12, 2014
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Alaska Dispatch News, "Alaska Supreme Court says 45-day suspension appropriate for rule-breaking judge," September 12, 2014
- ↑ Alaska Dispatch News, "Council asks voters to remove Palmer judge," June 10, 2014
Federal courts:
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of Alaska • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of Alaska
State courts:
Alaska Supreme Court • Alaska Court of Appeals • Alaska Superior Court • Alaska District Court
State resources:
Courts in Alaska • Alaska judicial elections • Judicial selection in Alaska