The constitution sets the Council's membership. The Council's membership has become more diverse over time. Since 1981, the Bar and governors have appointed women and ethnic minorities to Council membership. Occasionally a municipal or local government employee has served on the Council, and attorney Council members often have prior experience in the public sector. Functions Once appointed to the Judicial Council, members receive written materials describing their responsibilities, the Council's duties, its current projects, and the judicial selection and retention evaluation processes.
Council members serve without financial compensation, but are reimbursed for travel costs.
They typically meet in person, three to four times each year, often for two to three days. The Council tries to meet in the location of a judicial vacancy. If it is meeting for reasons other than a judicial selection process, it usually meets in Anchorage to reduce travel costs. Members also meet by teleconference several other times during the year, to handle administrative matters or to hold public hearings in remote locations. The Council has been accumulating extensive data about judicial applicants and sitting judges since 1984.