Short answer. Cases go to the District Court. 20 days to file a written Answer. The possession hearing usually comes first; the Answer covers the rest of the case. Who carries out a lockout: peace officer.
At a glance
- Court
- District Court. District Court for claims of $100,000 or less; Superior Court above that. File at the courthouse closest to the rental.
"you must file your case in the district court"
Source 3 - Filing fee
- $150 to file, unless a fee waiver is granted.
"Pay the $150 fee."
Source 2 - Hearing after filing
- The hearing is held within 15 days of filing and no sooner than 2 days after the tenant is served (the earliest date here assumes service on the filing day).
"The court holds a hearing within 15 days of when the Landlord filed the case"
Source 1 - Time to answer or appear
- 20 days to file a written Answer. The possession hearing usually comes first; the Answer covers the rest of the case.
"You must respond to the Complaint by filing a document called an Answer within 20 days."
Source 1 - Who carries out the lockout
- Peace officer. A peace officer carries out the writ of assistance; in Anchorage the court sends landlords to the State Troopers Judicial Services Office.
"This writ gives a peace officer the authority to remove the tenant."
Source 3 - Diversion or mediation (statewide)
- Yes. The court system's Eviction Diversion Program points landlords and tenants to free legal help and mediation, before or after a case is filed.
"Landlords and tenants may choose to use the program's resources before they file a court case."
Source 5
Sample timeline: filed Monday, December 7, 2026
Earliest under the statute; courts' calendars often take longer.
- Answer due (if served the day of filing): Sunday, December 27, 2026
- Hearing or trial: Wednesday, December 9, 2026
- Judgment: Wednesday, December 9, 2026
- Writ or warrant of possession: no date (Not confirmed on an official page)
- Earliest lockout: no date (Not confirmed on an official page)
Another date: open the estimator.
Help the official pages point to
- The court system's Eviction Diversion Program points landlords and tenants to free legal help and mediation, before or after a case is filed.
- Alaska Legal Services Corporation's Landlord/Tenant Helpline, free for tenants and landlords (source 1)
- Lawyer Referral Service, Alaska Native Justice Center and the court's Eviction Diversion Program, listed in the booklet (source 3)
Worth knowing
Paying all the rent before the 7-day deadline in the Notice to Quit means the landlord can't evict for that rent; the pages we read don't say what payment after filing does. In Anchorage the judge may sign the writ at the eviction hearing.
Not stated on the pages we read: judgment to writ, writ to lockout, paying to stop the case, right to counsel (statewide).
Official sources
- Alaska Court System: Respond to an eviction case (checked November 2026)
- Alaska Court System: Start an eviction case (checked November 2026)
- Alaska Court System: CIV-720 Eviction Booklet (8/23) (checked November 2026)
- Alaska Court System: CIV-576 ANCH Instructions for Requesting a Writ of Assistance (checked November 2026)
- Alaska Court System press release: Eviction Diversion Program (July 18, 2022) (checked November 2026)
General information, not legal advice; we are not lawyers. Not a court form. Earliest under the statute; courts' calendars often take longer.
Common questions
Which court hears eviction cases in Alaska?
District Court. District Court for claims of $100,000 or less; Superior Court above that. File at the courthouse closest to the rental.
How long does a tenant in Alaska have to respond?
20 days to file a written Answer. The possession hearing usually comes first; the Answer covers the rest of the case.
How soon after filing is the Alaska hearing?
The hearing is held within 15 days of filing and no sooner than 2 days after the tenant is served (the earliest date here assumes service on the filing day). That's the statute's window; the court's own calendar decides the actual date.
Who carries out an eviction in Alaska?
Peace officer. A peace officer carries out the writ of assistance; in Anchorage the court sends landlords to the State Troopers Judicial Services Office. The officer acts on the court's order.
What does it cost to file in Alaska?
$150 to file, unless a fee waiver is granted.
Is there a statewide diversion or mediation program in Alaska?
Yes. The court system's Eviction Diversion Program points landlords and tenants to free legal help and mediation, before or after a case is filed.
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