| Trial Court Clerk | Clerk's Office, Alaska Court System — Third Judicial District (Palmer) |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | 435 South Denali Street, Palmer, AK 99645 |
| Phone | (907) 746-8181 |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; clerk's office closed Wednesdays 8:00–9:00 a.m. |
| Earliest records noted | 1990 |
| Plain copy fee | $5 for the first page, $3 for each additional page |
| Certified copy fee | $10 for the first page, $3 for each additional page |
The Matanuska-Susitna Borough (universally called "Mat-Su") is Alaska's fastest-growing borough and its second most populous, covering Palmer, Wasilla, and a large surrounding area. As in every Alaska borough, there is no borough court and no county-style clerk of court — trial-court records for cases filed here are kept by the clerk's office of the Alaska Court System's Third Judicial District at the courthouse in Palmer, the borough seat.
The Palmer courthouse handles both Superior Court (felonies, larger civil cases, family law) and District Court (misdemeanors, small claims) for the borough. Because Mat-Su's population has grown quickly, its docket is one of the busier ones in the state outside Anchorage, but it uses the same statewide CourtView search and the same statewide fee schedule as every other Alaska courthouse.
Search Matanuska-Susitna Borough court records online
Trial Court Clerk
Clerk's Office, Alaska Court System — Third Judicial District (Palmer)
- Cost
- Free to search case dockets on CourtView; fees apply for copies requested from the clerk
- Coverage
- Superior and District Court cases filed in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, including felony and misdemeanor criminal, civil, family, probate, and small claims matters
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate, Traffic
Serves the Palmer courthouse, the single trial-court location for the borough.
What is available online
CourtView covers Palmer's Superior and District Court cases in the same statewide search as every other Alaska courthouse, with no comprehensive coverage before 1990. Confidential case types such as juvenile delinquency and civil commitment do not appear online.
Which clerk has your record
In Alaska, the clerk who keeps a file depends on which court heard the case. Check the court name on the case notice, citation, or order, then use the office and coverage details above to identify the record holder. Court names and responsibilities differ by state; a county clerk may not keep court case files. For federal cases, see the PACER guide. The full court structure is on the Alaska page.
| Court | Typical cases | Records kept by |
|---|---|---|
| Superior Court | Felony criminal cases; Civil cases over $100,000; Divorce, custody, and other family cases | Clerk of the Superior Court at the courthouse where the case was filed |
| District Court | Misdemeanor criminal cases; Civil claims up to $100,000; Small claims (up to $10,000) | Clerk of the District Court at the courthouse where the case was filed |
| Magistrate Court | Municipal ordinance violations; Traffic infractions; Minor criminal offenses | Clerk of the Magistrate Court (same clerk's office as District Court in most locations) |
Request records in person or by mail
Matanuska-Susitna Borough clerk offices
435 South Denali Street, Palmer, AK 99645
Phone: (907) 746-8181
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; clerk's office closed Wednesdays 8:00–9:00 a.m.
Search CourtView by party name or case number to confirm the case is a Palmer filing before contacting the clerk. For copies, submit Form TF-311 ("Instructions and Request for Records") in person at 435 South Denali Street or by mail, with the case number, the documents needed, and payment by check or money order. The clerk's office is closed for internal processing Wednesdays from 8:00 to 9:00 a.m., so plan in-person visits around that window.
Under the statewide fee schedule set by Administrative Rule 9, a plain copy costs $5 for the first page and $3 for each additional page, and a certified copy costs $10 for the first page and $3 for each additional page — the same amounts charged at every other Alaska courthouse, since Mat-Su has no independent authority to set its own fees. If you only need to confirm a hearing date, a filing, or a case's current status, CourtView will usually answer that without any request to the clerk at all.
Domestic violence and protective orders. Palmer's District Court handles a substantial volume of protective-order petitions given the borough's population, and the courthouse has staff who can help a petitioner fill out the paperwork, though they cannot give legal advice. Small claims. Mat-Su residents can file small-claims cases up to $10,000 at the same Palmer courthouse without hiring an attorney; the clerk's office has the required forms.
Fees
| Item | Typical cost in Alaska |
|---|---|
| Plain copy | $5 for the first page, $3 for each additional page |
| Certified copy | $10 for the first page, $3 for each additional page |
Fees are set statewide by Administrative Rule 9 (the court system's fee schedule) and apply at every courthouse, unlike states where each county sets its own copy fee. Confirm with the clerk's office before sending payment, since the schedule is amended from time to time by supreme court order.
Need a copy an agency will accept? See how to get certified copies of court records.
Sealed and restricted records
Alaska does not have a general expungement statute that erases a conviction from every record. Instead, it uses two narrower tools:
The Alaska guide lists every category of sealed and restricted record, and our guide to expunging or sealing a criminal record explains how to remove one from public view.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Matanuska-Susitna Borough keep its own court records?
No. Mat-Su, like every Alaska borough, has no borough-level court. All Superior and District Court records for cases filed in the borough are kept by the Alaska Court System's clerk's office at the Palmer courthouse.
Where is the courthouse for the Mat-Su area?
In Palmer, at 435 South Denali Street. It serves the whole Matanuska-Susitna Borough, including Wasilla and the surrounding communities, for both Superior and District Court matters.
How do I search for a case filed in Wasilla or Palmer?
Use CourtView, the statewide case search — Mat-Su cases are filed with the Third Judicial District and appear in the same search as every other Alaska courthouse, not a separate borough system.
What are the clerk's office hours in Palmer?
Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except the clerk's office is closed Wednesdays from 8:00 to 9:00 a.m. for internal processing.
Sources
- Alaska Court System — Palmer Court Directory — https://courts.alaska.gov/courtdir/3pa.htm
- Alaska Court System — Search Cases — https://courts.alaska.gov/main/search-cases.htm
- Alaska Court System — CourtView Online Information — https://courts.alaska.gov/trialcourts/cvinfo.htm
- Alaska Court System — Court System Information — https://courts.alaska.gov/main/ctinfo.htm
- Alaska Court System — Court Directory — https://courts.alaska.gov/courtdir/
- Alaska Court System — Filing Fees & Fee Waiver — https://courts.alaska.gov/shc/courtfees.htm
- Alaska Department of Public Safety — Background Checks — https://dps.alaska.gov/statewide/background-checks/
- District of Alaska (U.S. District Court) — https://www.akd.uscourts.gov/
- Alaska Statutes AS 12.55 — Sentencing (incl. 12.55.085, setting aside conviction) — https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp?media=print&secStart=12.55&secEnd=12.55.185
- Alaska Statutes AS 12.62 — Criminal Justice Information and Records Checks (incl. 12.62.180, sealing) — https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp?media=print&secStart=12.62&secEnd=12.62.180
- PACER — Federal court records — https://pacer.uscourts.gov/
See also: all Alaska counties.