(a) An indigent person who is under formal charge of having committed a serious crime and the crime has been the subject of an initial appearance or subsequent proceeding, or is being detained under a conviction of a serious crime, or is on probation or parole, or is entitled to representation under the Supreme Court Delinquency or Child in Need of Aid Rules or at a review hearing under Alaska Stat. § 47.12.105(d), or is isolated, quarantined, or required to be tested under an order issued under Alaska Stat. § 18.15.355 – 18.15.395, or is a respondent in a proceeding under Alaska Stat. Chapter 47.30, is entitled

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Terms Used In Alaska Statutes 18.85.100

  • action: includes any matter or proceeding in a court, civil or criminal. See Alaska Statutes 01.10.060
  • Appellate: About appeals; an appellate court has the power to review the judgement of another lower court or tribunal.
  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
  • Habeas corpus: A writ that is usually used to bring a prisoner before the court to determine the legality of his imprisonment. It may also be used to bring a person in custody before the court to give testimony, or to be prosecuted.
  • person: includes a corporation, company, partnership, firm, association, organization, business trust, or society, as well as a natural person. See Alaska Statutes 01.10.060
  • Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
  • Public defender: Represent defendants who can't afford an attorney in criminal matters.
  • state: means the State of Alaska unless applied to the different parts of the United States and in the latter case it includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See Alaska Statutes 01.10.060
  • Testify: Answer questions in court.
(1) to be represented, in connection with the crime or proceeding, by an attorney to the same extent as a person retaining an attorney is entitled; and
(2) to be provided with the necessary services and facilities of this representation, including investigation and other preparation.
(b) Subject to the provisions of Alaska Stat. § 18.85.155, the attorney services and facilities and the court costs shall be provided at public expense to the extent that the person, at the time the court determines indigency, is unable to provide for payment without undue hardship. Appointment of any guardian ad litem or attorney shall be made under the terms of Alaska Stat. § 25.24.310, to the extent that that section is not inconsistent with the requirements of this chapter.
(c) An indigent person is entitled to representation under (a) and (b) of this section for purposes of bringing a timely application for post-conviction relief under Alaska Stat. Chapter 12.72. An indigent person is not entitled to representation under (a) and (b) of this section for purposes of bringing

(1) an untimely or successive application for post-conviction relief under Alaska Stat. Chapter 12.72 or an untimely or successive motion for reduction or modification of sentence;
(2) a petition for review or certiorari from an appellate court ruling on an application for post-conviction relief; or
(3) an action or claim for habeas corpus in federal court attacking a state conviction.
(d) Notwithstanding (a) of this section, an indigent person is entitled to the representation and necessary services and facilities of representation as provided in (a) of this section when the prosecuting attorney or a law enforcement officer requests the court to provide representation to an indigent person under this section and the court finds that the provision of representation is necessary in the interests of justice.
(e) Subject to other provisions of this subsection, a person who is the natural parent, adoptive parent, or guardian of a child who is taken into emergency custody of the state under Alaska Stat. § 47.10.142 may be represented at public expense and without a court order by an attorney employed by the Public Defender Agency in connection with the hearing held under Alaska Stat. § 47.10.142 (d). Representation in connection with the hearing may include investigation and other preparation before the hearing is held as well as representation at the hearing. Continued representation of the person by the Public Defender Agency after the hearing is held under Alaska Stat. § 47.10.142 (d) is contingent on satisfaction of the eligibility requirements of (a) – (d) of this section, the issuance of an appropriate court order, and compliance with the applicable laws and court rules relating to court-appointed counsel employed at the public’s expense. If a person who was represented by the Public Defender Agency at public expense without a court order in connection with a hearing held under Alaska Stat. § 47.10.142 (d) is not later determined to be eligible for court-appointed counsel at public expense under applicable laws and court rules, the court shall assess against the represented person the cost to the Public Defender Agency of providing the representation. In this subsection, “guardian” means a natural person who is legally appointed guardian of the person of a child.
(f) Notwithstanding (a) of this section, an indigent person is entitled to the representation and necessary services and facilities of representation as provided in (a) of this section when the person is a witness who refuses or there is reason to believe will refuse to testify or provide other information based on the privilege against self-incrimination.
(g) An indigent person is entitled to representation under (a) and (b) of this section for purposes of bringing an application for post-conviction DNA testing under Alaska Stat. Chapter 12.73.
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