Rule 18. Venue: Place of Trial.

(a) Venue Districts. The venue map promulgated by the supreme court establishes the district and superior court venue districts and the presumptive trial site for each district. The venue map includes a chart listing each community that appears on the map along with each community’s presumptive district court trial site and presumptive superior court trial site.

(b) Determination of Trial Location.

(1) Initial Assignment. A Criminal case must be initially assigned for trial at the presumptive trial site for the district or superior court venue district, as determined by reference to the venue map and community chart described in (a) of this rule, in which the crime is alleged to have occurred.

(2) Transfer to Approved Additional Trial Site. As provided in (e) of this rule, the defendant may cause venue to be transferred to a trial site on the list of approved additional trial sites described in (d) of this rule.

(3) Change of Venue. Either party may move to change venue as provided in (g) of this rule.

(c) Additional Trial Site Standards. Subject to supreme court approval, the administrative director shall devise and promulgate an administrative bulletin establishing minimum standards for additional trial sites, including standards for courtroom needs and standards for transportation, housing, and feeding of all trial participants.

(d) List of Approved Additional Trial Sites. The administrative director shall promulgate an administrative bulletin listing approved additional trial sites for six- and twelve-person juries meeting the standards established under (c) of this rule. Changes in the list may be made as follows:

(1) A presiding judge, area court administrator, town council, or similar public representative group, or the attorney general, the public defender, or the public advocate may ask the administrative director for an investigation to determine whether a community should be added to or deleted from the list.

(2) The administrative director will distribute the list of approved additional trial sites to the attorney general, the public defender, and the public advocate.

(e) Motion to Transfer by Right. After assignment to the presumptive trial site, a defendant may move by right for the setting of venue in an approved additional trial site within the venue district where the crime charged is alleged to have occurred if such site is the trial site nearest the place where the crime charged is alleged to have occurred. This right is waived unless the defendant requests the transfer within ten days after the defendant enters a plea, absent good cause for an extension of this time limit.

(f) Fair Cross-Section. If the trial location assignment under the above subsections will not provide a petit jury which is a representative cross-section of the appropriate community, the trial court on its own motion or that of a party may change the jury selection area as provided in Administrative Rule 15(h)(3).

(g) Change of Venue. Any other motion for a change of venue shall be determined under the standards listed in AS 22.10.040.

(h) Limitations of Rule. The presumptive trial sites established by this rule do not determine the court location where a criminal case must be filed or the court location where pretrial proceedings take place.

(Adopted by SCO 4 effective October 4, 1959; amended by SCO 136 effective September 2, 1971; by SCO 157 effective February 15, 1973; by SCO 666 effective January 1, 1986; by SCO 670 effective March 15, 1986; by SCO 682 effective May 15, 1986; by SCO 1334 effective July 15, 1998; by SCO 1348 effective October 1, 1998; by SCO 1644 effective October 15, 2007; by SCO 1645 effective July 1, 2007; by SCO 1754 effective October 14, 2011; by SCO 1837 effective July 15, 2014; by SCO 1846 effective January 1, 2015; by SCO 1857 effective July 1, 2015; by SCO 1866 effective July 1, 2015; by SCO 1860 effective October 15, 2015; by SCO 1870(3) effective May 15, 2016; SCO 1916 effective January 1, 2018; and by SCO 1933(1) effective October 15, 2018)

Note: Administrative Bulletin 28 establishes the minimum standards for additional trial site locations and is available on the court system’s website:

[http://www. courts.alaska.gov/adbulls/ab28.pdf], in law libraries, and from the office of the court rules attorney, 820 W. 4th Ave., Anchorage, AK 99501 (907) 264-8231. Administrative Bulletin 27 lists approved additional trial site locations, and is included at the end of this rule.

Note: The boundaries of the Anchorage venue district, the Seward venue district, and the Kenai venue district were changed by SCO 1348 effective October 1, 1998. A copy of this order is available in law libraries and from the court rules attorney.

Note: The venue map promulgated by the supreme court and the community chart referenced in subsection (a) of this rule are available on the Alaska Court System website at: http://www.courts.alaska.gov/rules/index.htm#venue

Community Appearing on Venue Map	Presumptive District Court Trial Site	Presumptive Superior Court Trial Site
Adak	Unalaska	Unalaska
Afognak	Kodiak	Kodiak
Akhiok	Kodiak	Kodiak
Akiachak	Bethel	Bethel
Akiak	Bethel	Bethel
Akutan	Unalaska	Unalaska
Alakanuk	Emmonak	Bethel
Alatna	Nenana	Nenana
Alcan	Tok	Tok
Aleknagik	Dillingham	Dillingham
Allakaket	Nenana	Nenana
Ambler	Kotzebue	Kotzebue
Anaktuvuk Pass	Utqiagvik	Utqiagvik
Anchor Point	Homer	Homer
Anchorage	Anchorage	Anchorage
Anderson	Nenana	Nenana
Angoon	Angoon	Sitka
Aniak	Aniak	Bethel
Anvik	Aniak	Bethel
Arctic Village	Fort Yukon	Fairbanks
Atka	Unalaska	Unalaska
Atmautluak	Bethel	Bethel
Atqasuk	Utqiagvik	Utqiagvik
Attu	Unalaska	Unalaska
Auke Bay	Juneau	Juneau
Ayakulik	Kodiak	Kodiak
Beaver	Fort Yukon	Fairbanks
Belkofski	Sand Point	Anchorage
Beluga	Kenai	Kenai
Bethel	Bethel	Bethel
Bettles	Nenana	Nenana
Big Delta	Delta Junction	Delta Junction
Big Lake	Palmer	Palmer
Bill Moores	Emmonak	Bethel
Birch Creek	Fort Yukon	Fairbanks
Boundary	Tok	Tok
Brevig Mission	Nome	Nome
Buckland	Kotzebue	Kotzebue
Candle	Kotzebue	Kotzebue
Cantwell	Nenana	Nenana
Central	Fairbanks	Fairbanks
Chalkyitsik	Fort Yukon	Fairbanks
Chase	Palmer	Palmer
Chefornak	Bethel	Bethel
Chena Hot Springs	Fairbanks	Fairbanks
Chenega	Seward	Seward
Chevak	Bethel	Bethel
Chickaloon	Palmer	Palmer
Community Appearing on Venue Map	Presumptive District Court Trial Site	Presumptive Superior Court Trial Site
Chicken	Tok	Tok
Chignik	Naknek	Naknek
Chignik Lagoon	Naknek	Naknek
Chignik Lake	Naknek	Naknek
Chiniak	Kodiak	Kodiak
Chisana	Tok	Tok
Chistochina	Glennallen	Glennallen
Chitina	Glennallen	Glennallen
Chuathbaluk	Aniak	Bethel
Chugiak	Anchorage	Anchorage
Chuloonawick	Emmonak	Bethel
Circle	Fairbanks	Fairbanks
Circle Hot Springs	Fairbanks	Fairbanks
Clam Gulch	Kenai	Kenai
Clarks Point	Dillingham	Dillingham
Coffman Cove	Prince of Wales (Klawock)	Prince of Wales (Klawock)
Cohoe	Kenai	Kenai
Cold Bay	Sand Point	Anchorage
Coldfoot	Nenana	Nenana
Cooper Landing	Seward	Seward
Copper Center	Glennallen	Glennallen
Cordova	Cordova	Cordova
Council	Nome	Nome
Craig	Prince of Wales (Klawock)	Prince of Wales (Klawock)
Crooked Creek	Aniak	Bethel
Deadhorse	Utqiagvik	Utqiagvik
Deering	Kotzebue	Kotzebue
Delta Junction	Delta Junction	Delta Junction
Dillingham	Dillingham	Dillingham
Diomede	Nome	Nome
Dot Lake	Tok	Tok
Douglas	Juneau	Juneau
Dry Creek	Delta Junction	Delta Junction
Dutch Harbor	Unalaska	Unalaska
Eagle	Tok	Tok
Eagle River	Anchorage	Anchorage
Eagle Village	Tok	Tok
Edna Bay	Prince of Wales (Klawock)	Prince of Wales (Klawock)
Eek	Bethel	Bethel
Egegik	Naknek	Naknek
Eklutna	Anchorage	Anchorage
Ekuk	Dillingham	Dillingham
Ekwok	Dillingham	Dillingham
Elfin Cove	Sitka	Sitka
Elim	Nome	Nome
Emmonak	Emmonak	Bethel
Ester	Fairbanks	Fairbanks
Evansville	Nenana	Nenana
Community Appearing on Venue Map	Presumptive District Court Trial Site	Presumptive Superior Court Trial Site
Excursion Inlet	Hoonah	Juneau
Eyak	Cordova	Cordova
Fairbanks	Fairbanks	Fairbanks
False Pass	Sand Point	Anchorage
Ferry	Nenana	Nenana
Flat	Aniak	Bethel
Fort Yukon	Fort Yukon	Fairbanks
Fox	Fairbanks	Fairbanks
Gakona	Glennallen	Glennallen
Galena	Galena	Nenana
Gambell	Nome	Nome
Georgetown	Aniak	Bethel
Girdwood	Anchorage	Anchorage
Glennallen	Glennallen	Glennallen
Golovin	Nome	Nome
Goodnews Bay	Bethel	Bethel
Grayling	Aniak	Bethel
Gulkana	Glennallen	Glennallen
Gustavus	Hoonah	Juneau
Haines	Haines	Juneau
Halibut Cove	Homer	Homer
Hamilton	Emmonak	Bethel
Happy Valley	Homer	Homer
Harding-Birch Lakes	Fairbanks	Fairbanks
Healy	Nenana	Nenana
Healy Lake	Delta Junction	Delta Junction
Hobart Bay	Petersburg	Petersburg
Hollis	Prince of Wales (Klawock)	Prince of Wales (Klawock)
Holy Cross	Aniak	Bethel
Homer	Homer	Homer
Hoonah	Hoonah	Juneau
Hooper Bay	Bethel	Bethel
Hope	Anchorage	Anchorage
Houston	Palmer	Palmer
Hughes	Nenana	Nenana
Huslia	Galena	Nenana
Hydaburg	Prince of Wales (Klawock)	Prince of Wales (Klawock)
Hyder	Ketchikan	Ketchikan
Iditarod	Aniak	Bethel
Igiugig	Naknek	Naknek
Iliamna	Naknek	Naknek
Ivanof Bay	Naknek	Naknek
Juneau	Juneau	Juneau
Kachemak	Homer	Homer
Kaguyak	Kodiak	Kodiak
Kake	Petersburg	Petersburg
Kaktovik	Utqiagvik	Utqiagvik
Kalifornsky	Kenai	Kenai
Community Appearing on Venue Map	Presumptive District Court Trial Site	Presumptive Superior Court Trial Site
Kaltag	Galena	Nenana
Karluk	Kodiak	Kodiak
Kasaan	Prince of Wales (Klawock)	Prince of Wales (Klawock)
Kasigluk	Bethel	Bethel
Kasilof	Kenai	Kenai
Kenai	Kenai	Kenai
Kenny Lake	Glennallen	Glennallen
Ketchikan	Ketchikan	Ketchikan
Kiana	Kotzebue	Kotzebue
King Cove	Sand Point	Anchorage
King Island	Nome	Nome
King Salmon	Naknek	Naknek
Kipnuk	Bethel	Bethel
Kivalina	Kotzebue	Kotzebue
Klawock	Prince of Wales (Klawock)	Prince of Wales (Klawock)
Klukwan	Haines	Juneau
Knik	Palmer	Palmer
Kobuk	Kotzebue	Kotzebue
Kodiak	Kodiak	Kodiak
Kokhanok	Naknek	Naknek
Koliganek	Dillingham	Dillingham
Kongiganak	Bethel	Bethel
Kotlik	Emmonak	Bethel
Kotzebue	Kotzebue	Kotzebue
Koyuk	Unalakleet	Nome
Koyukuk	Galena	Nenana
Kupreanof	Petersburg	Petersburg
Kwethluk	Bethel	Bethel
Kwigillingok	Bethel	Bethel
Lake Louise	Palmer	Palmer
Lake Minchumina	Aniak	Bethel
Larsen Bay	Kodiak	Kodiak
Levelock	Naknek	Naknek
Lignite	Nenana	Nenana
Lime Village	Aniak	Bethel
Livengood	Nenana	Nenana
Lower Kalskag	Aniak	Bethel
Lower Tonsina	Glennallen	Glennallen
Manley Hot Springs	Nenana	Nenana
Manokotak	Dillingham	Dillingham
Marshall	Bethel	Bethel
Marys Igloo	Nome	Nome
McCarthy	Glennallen	Glennallen
McGrath	Aniak	Bethel
McKinley Park	Nenana	Nenana
Medfra	Aniak	Bethel
Mekoryuk	Bethel	Bethel
Mendeltna	Glennallen	Glennallen
Community Appearing on Venue Map	Presumptive District Court Trial Site	Presumptive Superior Court Trial Site
Mentasta Lake	Glennallen	Glennallen
Metlakatla	Ketchikan	Ketchikan
Meyers Chuck	Ketchikan	Ketchikan
Minto	Nenana	Nenana
Moose Creek	Fairbanks	Fairbanks
Moose Pass	Seward	Seward
Mountain Village	Bethel	Bethel
Nabesna	Glennallen	Glennallen
Naknek	Naknek	Naknek
Nanwalek	Homer	Homer
Napaimiut	Aniak	Bethel
Napakiak	Bethel	Bethel
Napaskiak	Bethel	Bethel
Naukati Bay	Prince of Wales (Klawock)	Prince of Wales (Klawock)
Nelchina	Glennallen	Glennallen
Nelson Lagoon	Sand Point	Anchorage
Nenana	Nenana	Nenana
New Stuyahok	Dillingham	Dillingham
Newhalen	Naknek	Naknek
Newtok	Bethel	Bethel
Nightmute	Bethel	Bethel
Nikiski	Kenai	Kenai
Nikolaevsk	Homer	Homer
Nikolai	Aniak	Bethel
Nikolski	Unalaska	Unalaska
Ninilchik	Homer	Homer
Noatak	Kotzebue	Kotzebue
Nome	Nome	Nome
Nondalton	Naknek	Naknek
Noorvik	Kotzebue	Kotzebue
North Pole	Fairbanks	Fairbanks
Northway	Tok	Tok
Northway Junction	Tok	Tok
Nuiqsut	Utqiagvik	Utqiagvik
Nulato	Galena	Nenana
Nunam Iqua	Emmonak	Bethel
Nunapitchuk	Bethel	Bethel
Ohogamiut	Bethel	Bethel
Old Harbor	Kodiak	Kodiak
Ophir	Aniak	Bethel
Oscarville	Bethel	Bethel
Ouzinkie	Kodiak	Kodiak
Paimiut	Bethel	Bethel
Palmer	Palmer	Palmer
Pauloff Harbor	Sand Point	Anchorage
Paxson	Glennallen	Glennallen
Pedro Bay	Naknek	Naknek
Pelican	Sitka	Sitka
Community Appearing on Venue Map	Presumptive District Court Trial Site	Presumptive Superior Court Trial Site
Perryville	Naknek	Naknek
Petersburg	Petersburg	Petersburg
Petersville	Palmer	Palmer
Pilot Point	Naknek	Naknek
Pilot Station	Bethel	Bethel
Pitkas Point	Bethel	Bethel
Platinum	Bethel	Bethel
Pleasant Valley	Fairbanks	Fairbanks
Point Baker	Petersburg	Petersburg
Point Hope	Kotzebue	Kotzebue
Point Lay	Utqiagvik	Utqiagvik
Port Alexander	Sitka	Sitka
Port Alsworth	Naknek	Naknek
Port Clarence	Nome	Nome
Port Graham	Homer	Homer
Port Heiden	Naknek	Naknek
Port Lions	Kodiak	Kodiak
Port Moller	Sand Point	Anchorage
Port Protection	Petersburg	Petersburg
Portage Creek	Dillingham	Dillingham
Primrose	Seward	Seward
Prudhoe Bay	Utqiagvik	Utqiagvik
Quinhagak	Bethel	Bethel
Rampart	Nenana	Nenana
Red Devil	Aniak	Bethel
Red Dog Mine	Kotzebue	Kotzebue
Ruby	Galena	Nenana
Russian Mission	Bethel	Bethel
Saint George	Saint Paul	Anchorage
Saint Marys	Bethel	Bethel
Saint Michael	Unalakleet	Nome
Saint Paul	Saint Paul	Anchorage
Salamatof	Kenai	Kenai
Salcha	Fairbanks	Fairbanks
Sand Point	Sand Point	Anchorage
Savoonga	Nome	Nome
Saxman	Ketchikan	Ketchikan
Scammon Bay	Bethel	Bethel
Selawik	Kotzebue	Kotzebue
Seldovia	Homer	Homer
Seward	Seward	Seward
Shageluk	Aniak	Bethel
Shaktoolik	Unalakleet	Nome
Shemya Station	Unalaska	Unalaska
Shishmaref	Nome	Nome
Shungnak	Kotzebue	Kotzebue
Sitka	Sitka	Sitka
Skagway	Skagway	Juneau
Community Appearing on Venue Map	Presumptive District Court Trial Site	Presumptive Superior Court Trial Site
Skwentna	Palmer	Palmer
Slana	Glennallen	Glennallen
Sleetmute	Aniak	Bethel
Soldotna	Kenai	Kenai
Solomon	Nome	Nome
South Naknek	Naknek	Naknek
Stebbins	Unalakleet	Nome
Sterling	Kenai	Kenai
Stevens Village	Fort Yukon	Fairbanks
Stony River	Aniak	Bethel
Summit Lake	Glennallen	Glennallen
Susitna	Palmer	Palmer
Sutton	Palmer	Palmer
Takotna	Aniak	Bethel
Talkeetna	Palmer	Palmer
Tanacross	Tok	Tok
Tanana	Nenana	Nenana
Tatitlek	Valdez	Valdez
Tazlina	Glennallen	Glennallen
Telida	Aniak	Bethel
Teller	Nome	Nome
Tenakee Springs	Hoonah	Juneau
Tetlin	Tok	Tok
Tetlin Junction	Tok	Tok
Thorne Bay	Prince of Wales (Klawock)	Prince of Wales (Klawock)
Tin City	Nome	Nome
Togiak	Dillingham	Dillingham
Tok	Tok	Tok
Toksook Bay	Bethel	Bethel
Tonsina	Glennallen	Glennallen
Tuluksak	Bethel	Bethel
Tuntutuliak	Bethel	Bethel
Tununak	Bethel	Bethel
Twin Hills	Dillingham	Dillingham
Two Rivers	Fairbanks	Fairbanks
Tyonek	Kenai	Kenai
Uganik	Kodiak	Kodiak
Ugashik	Naknek	Naknek
Umkumiut	Bethel	Bethel
Unalakleet	Unalakleet	Nome
Unalaska	Unalaska	Unalaska
Unga	Sand Point	Anchorage
Upper Kalskag Utqiagvik	Aniak Utqiagvik	Bethel Utqiagvik
Uyak	Kodiak	Kodiak
Valdez	Valdez	Valdez
Venetie	Fort Yukon	Fairbanks
Wainwright	Utqiagvik	Utqiagvik
Community Appearing on Venue Map	Presumptive District Court Trial Site	Presumptive Superior Court Trial Site
Wales	Nome	Nome
Wasilla	Palmer	Palmer
Waterfall	Prince of Wales (Klawock)	Prince of Wales (Klawock)
Whale Pass	Prince of Wales (Klawock)	Prince of Wales (Klawock)
White Mountain	Nome	Nome
Whittier	Anchorage	Anchorage
Willow	Palmer	Palmer
Willow Creek	Glennallen	Glennallen
Wiseman	Nenana	Nenana
Womens Bay	Kodiak	Kodiak
Woody Island	Kodiak	Kodiak
Wrangell	Wrangell	Wrangell
Yakutat	Yakutat	Juneau
Note: Utqiagvik was formerly known as Barrow.