Published: 2015
Key Benefits:
Sec. 24.65.120. Investigations.
(a) The victims' advocate may investigate complaints from crime victims that they have been denied the rights they are guaranteed under the constitution and laws of this state.
(b) In an investigation, the victims' advocate may
(1) make inquiries and obtain information considered necessary;
(2) hold private hearings; and
(3) notwithstanding other provisions of law, have access at all times to records of justice agencies, including court records of criminal prosecutions and juvenile adjudications, necessary to ensure that the rights of crime victims are not being denied; with regard to court and prosecution records, the victims' advocate is entitled to obtain access to every record that the defendant is entitled to access or receive.
(c) The victims' advocate shall maintain confidentiality with respect to all matters and the identities of the complainants or witnesses coming before the victims' advocate except insofar as disclosures may be necessary to enable the victims' advocate to carry out duties and to support recommendations. However, the victims' advocate may not disclose a confidential record obtained from a court or justice agency.
Sec. 24.65.130. Powers.
(a) Subject to the privileges recognized by court rule and statute of this state, the victims' advocate may compel by subpoena, at a specified time and place, the
(1) appearance and sworn testimony of a person who the victims' advocate reasonably believes may be able to give information relating to a matter under investigation under AS 24.65.120 ; and
(2) production by a person of a record or object that the victims' advocate reasonably believes may relate to the matter under investigation under AS 24.65.120 .
(b) If a person refuses to comply with a subpoena issued under (a) of this section, the superior court may, on application of the victims' advocate, compel obedience by proceedings for contempt in the same manner as in the case of disobedience to the requirements of a subpoena issued by the court or refusal to testify in the court.
(c) This section does not authorize the victims' advocate to issue a subpoena to
(1) a justice, judge, magistrate, or a law clerk acting under the direction of a justice, judge, or magistrate, concerning a judicial action or nonaction taken by, or under the direction of, the justice, judge, or magistrate;
(2) a person acting under the direction of a justice, judge, or magistrate, other than a law clerk, concerning a judicial action or nonaction taken by, or under the direction of, a justice, judge, or magistrate except to establish the occurrence or nonoccurrence of the action or nonaction or the person's own actions or nonactions; this paragraph does not authorize the victims' advocate to inquire into the decision-making or thought process of the justice, judge, or magistrate;
(3) a member of a jury concerning a matter that was considered by the jury;
(4) the person accused or convicted of committing the crime that is the basis for the complaint, and investigation under AS 24.65.120 , concerning a denial of rights or an attorney retained by the person or appointed by a court to represent the person;
(5) a victim counselor concerning a matter made confidential by AS 18.66.200 - 18.66.250; or
(6) a justice agency concerning records that lead to the disclosure of a confidential police informant.
Sec. 24.65.140. Consultation.
Before giving an opinion or recommendation that is critical of a justice agency or person as a result of an investigation under AS 24.65.120, the victims' advocate shall consult with that agency or person. The victims' advocate may make a preliminary opinion or recommendation available to the agency or person for review, but the preliminary opinion or recommendation is confidential and may not be disclosed to the public by the agency or person.
Sec. 24.65.150. Procedure after investigation.
(a) The victims' advocate shall report the advocate's opinion and recommendations to a justice agency if the victims' advocate finds, after investigation under AS 24.65.120 , that the agency has denied a crime victim rights the crime victim is guaranteed under the constitution and laws of this state.
(b) The victims' advocate may request the justice agency to notify the victims' advocate, within a specified time, of any action taken on the recommendations.
(c) The report provided under (a) of this section is confidential and may not be disclosed to the public by the justice agency. The victims' advocate may disclose the report under AS 24.65.160 only after providing notice that the investigation has been concluded to the agency and after receiving the written approval of the complainant to release the report.
Sec. 24.65.160. Publication of recommendations.
Except as provided in AS 24.65.150 (c), within a reasonable amount of time after the victims' advocate reports the advocate's opinion and recommendations to a justice agency, the victims' advocate may present the opinion and recommendations to the governor, the legislature, a grand jury, the public, or any of these. The victims' advocate shall include with the opinion any reply made by the agency.
Sec. 24.65.170. Annual report.
The victims' advocate shall make available to the public an annual report of the victims' advocate's activities under this chapter and notify the legislature that the report is available. The victim's advocate may include in the report a summary of the advocate's participation as an ex officio member of domestic violence fatality review teams established under AS 18.66.400 .
Sec. 24.65.180. Judicial review.
A proceeding or decision of the victims' advocate may be reviewed in superior court only to determine if it is contrary to the provisions of this chapter.
Sec. 24.65.190. Immunity of the victims' advocate.
A civil action may not be brought against the victims' advocate or a member of the victims' advocate's staff for anything done, said, or omitted in performing the victims' advocate's duties or responsibilities under this chapter.
Sec. 24.65.200. Victims' advocate's privilege not to testify or produce documents or other evidence.
Except as may be necessary to enforce the provisions of this chapter, the determinations, conclusions, thought processes, discussions, records, reports, and recommendations of or information collected by the victims' advocate or staff of the victims' advocate are not admissible in a civil or criminal proceeding, and are not subject to questioning or disclosure by subpoena or discovery.
Sec. 24.65.210. Penalty.
A person who knowingly hinders the lawful actions of the victims' advocate or the staff of the victims' advocate, or who knowingly refuses to comply with their lawful demands, is guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction may be punished by a fine of not more than $1,000. In this section, "knowingly" has the meaning given in AS 11.81.900 .
Sec. 24.65.250. Definitions.
In this chapter,
(1) "justice agency" means a department, office, institution, corporation, authority, organization, commission, committee, council, court, or board of a municipality or in the executive or judicial branches of the state government that is, in any manner, involved with or responsible for the apprehension, prosecution, incarceration, or supervision of criminal or juvenile offenders; it also includes an officer, employee, or member of an agency acting or purporting to act in the exercise of official duties;
(2) "victim" has the meaning given in AS 12.55.185 .
Article 01. REQUIREMENTS FOR MARRIAGE
Sec. 25.05.010. Marriage a civil contract. [Repealed, Sec. 2 ch 58 SLA 1963].
Repealed or Renumbered
Sec. 25.05.011. Civil contract.
(a) Marriage is a civil contract entered into by one man and one woman that requires both a license and solemnization. The man and the woman must each be at least one of the following:
(1) 18 years of age or older and otherwise capable;
(2) qualified for a license under AS 25.05.171 ; or
(3) a member of the armed forces of the United States while on active duty.
(b) A person may not be joined in marriage in this state until a license has been obtained for that purpose as provided in this chapter. A marriage performed in this state is not valid without solemnization as provided in this chapter.
Sec. 25.05.013. Same-sex marriages.
(a) A marriage entered into by persons of the same sex, either under common law or under statute, that is recognized by another state or foreign jurisdiction is void in this state, and contractual rights granted by virtue of the marriage, including its termination, are unenforceable in this state.
(b) A same-sex relationship may not be recognized by the state as being entitled to the benefits of marriage.
Sec. 25.05.020. Prohibited marriages. [Repealed, Sec. 2 ch 58 SLA 1963].
Repealed or Renumbered
Sec. 25.05.021. Prohibited marriages.
Marriage is prohibited and void if performed when
(1) either party to the proposed marriage has a husband or wife living; or
(2) the parties to the proposed marriage are more closely related to each other than the fourth degree of consanguinity, whether of the whole or half blood, computed according to rules of the civil law.
Sec. 25.05.030. Voidable marriages. [Repealed, Sec. 2 ch 58 SLA 1963].
Repealed or Renumbered