Opinion ID: 1443915
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Trial Court Correctly Denied the Wassermans' Request for Disqualification.[25]

Text: The Wassermans' second and third points on appeal concern their attempt to disqualify Judge Beistline. They argue that Judge Beistline should have granted their motion for a new trial because his presiding over their case and his non-disclosure of his prior legal work for the defendant City of Fairbanks created an appearance of partiality. They also claim that Judge Beistline erred by considering information that was not in evidence when he denied the motion for a new trial. Judge Beistline denied the Wassermans' disqualification motion because he found that it was both untimely and lacked merit. Judge Hodges affirmed the ruling on its merits. We affirm the lower court's rulings on the merits as being soundly within the scope of judicial discretion. [26] Two bodies of law provide standards for disqualification of a judge for cause: AS 22.20.020(a) and the Alaska Code of Judicial Conduct, Canon 3.C. [27] The two bodies of law are related, but somewhat different. Alaska Trams Corp. v. Alaska Elec. Light & Power, 743 P.2d 350, 353 n. 7 (Alaska 1987), cert. denied, 485 U.S. 905, 108 S.Ct. 1077, 99 L.Ed.2d 236 (1988). The canon and the statute set different standards and apply in different situations. See Feichtinger v. State, 779 P.2d 344, 347 n. 4 (Alaska App. 1989) (distinguishing Canon 3 and AS 22.20.020 by noting that a judge may recuse himself or herself under the canon, but only the statute allows one judge to disqualify another judge). However, we have relied upon the canon to interpret the statute, in particular finding that because of the canon, AS 22.20.020(a)(9) includes an appearance of impartiality. Perotti v. State, 806 P.2d 325, 327 (Alaska App. 1991); Amidon v. State, 604 P.2d 575, 577-78 (Alaska 1979). Prior representation by a judge of the state or a municipality is not enumerated among grounds for disqualification in the statute or the canon. Alaska Statute 22.20.020 compels disqualification of a judge who counseled one party as an attorney within the last two years, as Judge Beistline did for the City of Fairbanks, but not where the former client is the state or a municipality of the state. AS 22.20.020(a)(5). Reasons for this exception are that representing the state or a municipality, unlike representation of private clients, does not lead to a disqualifying loyalty, Mustafoski v. State, 867 P.2d 824, 835 (Alaska App. 1994), and that many new judges, including all former district attorneys, assistant attorneys general, and municipal attorneys, would have to recuse themselves from a wide range of proceedings both criminal and civil. Keel v. State, 552 P.2d 155, 157 (Alaska 1976). This leaves the more vague appearance of partiality claim based on AS 22.20.020(a)(9) and Canon 3.C(1). Judge Beistline rejected that claim, and Judge Hodges found his decision not to be an abuse of discretion. This court is deferential to judges' decisions regarding the appearance of partiality. Amidon, 604 P.2d at 577. Although the language of AS 22.20.020(a)(9) relies on a judge's subjective decision, review applies an objective standard based on a fair-minded person. Mustafoski, 867 P.2d 824, 831 n. 3. A fair-minded party would rationally conclude that Judge Beistline did not breach the appearance of impartiality, either by presiding over the case or by failing to disclose his prior representation. Two principal reasons support this conclusion: remaining on this case after working for the municipality was allowed by an explicit statutory exception, and the governmental interests he had represented differ from the interests held by the parties in this suit. We therefore affirm the superior court's ruling that Judge Beistline did not need to disqualify himself or to disclose his prior legal work on behalf of the City of Fairbanks.