Alaska R. Civ. P. 5.1

As amended through March 21, 2024
Rule 5.1 - Service and Filing of Pleadings and Other Papers
(a) Filing by Facsimile Transmission and Electronic Mail.
(1) A party may file documents by fax or electronic mail as permitted by administrative order of the presiding judge or with prior written consent of the judge assigned to the case. Unless the court orders that the original document be filed, a party filing a document by fax or electronic mail shall retain the original and shall produce it for inspection upon request of another party to the action or as ordered by the court.
(2) An administrative order permitting documents to be filed by fax or electronic mail may set limits on the size of electronic documents that can be accepted, the format of the documents, the frequency with which a party may file documents, and may establish other particular requirements and limitations.
(3) Documents filed by fax or electronic mail that are received by the court before 4:30 p.m. on a day that the court is open for regular business are deemed to have been filed on that business day; documents filed by fax or electronic mail that are received by the court after 4:30 p.m. are deemed to have been filed on the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or a judicial holiday listed in Administrative Rule 16.
(b) Filing Foreign Domestic Violence Protective Orders by Facsimile Transmission. Notwithstanding any general administrative orders concerning fax filings issued under (a) of this rule, a court shall accept faxed certified copies of domestic violence protective orders issued by other states, tribes, or territories if
(1) the order is faxed by the issuing court, and
(2) the facsimile contains a certification that the faxed order is a true and correct copy of the original order on file with the issuing court.
(c) Service by Facsimile Transmission and Electronic Mail.
(1)Application of this Rule. This rule governs the service of documents by fax or electronic mail. It applies only to documents that may be served under Civil Rule 5(b). It does not apply to documents that must be served under Civil Rule 4. It applies to service by parties and by the court except as provided by Civil Rule 5.3.
(2)Method of Service. Service by fax is made by successfully transmitting the document to the facsimile machine telephone number of a person who has consented to be served in this manner. Service by electronic mail is made by successfully sending an electronic file to an electronic mail address of a person who has consented to be served in this manner. Additional service by mail is not required; however, a copy of the document must be mailed to the person upon request.
(3)Consent to Service. A person who is willing to accept service by fax or electronic mail in an action shall so indicate beneath the signature in the person's initial filing or by serving and filing a separate notice of consent. A party may revoke consent by serving and filing a separate notice that consent has been revoked.
(4)Page Limit. A person may serve by fax a total of 25 pages per recipient per day unless the parties have agreed to a different page limit. Cover sheets and separators do not count toward the page limit.
(5)When Service is Complete. Service by electronic mail is complete upon receipt in the party's electronic mail account. Service by fax is complete upon receipt of the entire document by the receiving party's facsimile machine. Service that occurs in whole or in part after 4:30 p.m. shall be deemed to have occurred at the opening of business on the next day that is not a Saturday, a Sunday or a judicial holiday listed in Administrative Rule 16.
(6)Proof of Service. If service is made by fax or electronic mail, proof of service must be made in accordance with Civil Rule 5(f), including the date and time of the transmission.

Alaska R. Civ. P. 5.1

Adopted by SCO 1307 effective 1/15/1998; amended by SCO 1695 effective 3/1/2009; and by SCO 1766 effective 10/14/2011; amended by SCO 1970 effective 7/1/2021.

Presiding judges' fax filing orders are available from the Court Rules Attorney, 820 W. 4th Ave., Anchorage, AK 99501,(907) 264-8264, and on the court system website: www.courts.alaska.gov/judorders.htm.