Jennifer S. Henderson
2021 - Present
2035
4
Jennifer S. Henderson is a judge of the Alaska Supreme Court. She assumed office on July 21, 2021. Her current term ends on February 5, 2035.
Henderson ran for re-election for judge of the Alaska Supreme Court. She won in the retention election on November 5, 2024.
Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) appointed Henderson to the Alaska Supreme Court on July 7, 2021.[1] To learn more about this vacancy, click here.
Biography
Henderson was born in La Mesa, California. Henderson graduated from West Hills High School in 1994. She earned a B.A. from Claremont McKenna College in 1998 and a J.D. from Yale Law School in 2001.[2]
Henderson's career experience includes working as an assistant district attorney with the Anchorage District Attorney's Office and an associate attorney with Farley & Graves, P.C. She co-founded and served on the board of Girls on the Run Southcentral Alaska.[2]
Elections
2024
See also: Alaska Supreme Court elections, 2024
Alaska Supreme Court
Jennifer S. Henderson was retained to the Alaska Supreme Court on November 5, 2024 with 60.1% of the vote.
Retention Vote |
% |
Votes |
|||
| ✔ | Yes |
60.1
|
156,819 | ||
No |
39.9
|
103,919 | |||
Total Votes |
260,738 | ||||
|
|
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Henderson in this election.
2020
Alaska Third District Superior Court
Jennifer S. Henderson was retained to the Alaska Third District Superior Court on November 3, 2020 with 62.1% of the vote.
Retention Vote |
% |
Votes |
|||
| ✔ | Yes |
62.1
|
131,281 | ||
No |
37.9
|
80,004 | |||
Total Votes |
211,285 | ||||
|
|
2017
Gov. Bill Walker appointed Henderson to the Alaska Third District Superior Court on May 15, 2017.[3]
2016
| Alaska District Court, 3rd District, Jennifer S. Henderson Retention Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes votes | |
 Jennifer S. Henderson | 61.20% | |
| Source: Alaska Department of Elections, "Unofficial election results," accessed November 9, 2016 | ||
Appointments
2021
Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy (R) appointed Jennifer Stuart Henderson to the Alaska Supreme Court on July 7, 2021.[4] Henderson succeeded Chief Justice Joel Bolger, who retired on June 30, 2021. Henderson was Gov. Dunleavy's second nominee to the five-member supreme court.
At the time of the vacancy, state supreme court justices were appointed by the governor from a list of two or more nominees compiled by the Alaska Judicial Council, under Alaska law.
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Jennifer S. Henderson did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
2020
Jennifer S. Henderson did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Noteworthy cases
The section below lists noteworthy cases heard by this judge. To suggest cases we should cover here, email us.
State supreme court judicial selection in Alaska
- See also: Judicial selection in Alaska
The five justices on the Alaska Supreme Court are selected through the assisted appointed method. Each justice is appointed from a list of two or more nominees compiled by the Alaska Judicial Council.[5]
The initial term of a new justice is at least three years, after which the justice stands for retention in an uncontested yes-no election. Subsequent terms last ten years.[6] For more information on these elections, visit the Alaska judicial elections page.
Qualifications
To serve on this court, a justice must be:
- a U.S. citizen;
- a state resident for at least five years;
- licensed to practice law in the state;
- active in law practice for at least eight years; and
- under the age of 70.[7][8]
Chief justice
The chief justice is chosen by a vote of the other supreme court justices and serves a three-year term.[9]
Vacancies
The process of filling interim judicial vacancies is identical to that of filling ones that would occur at the end of a justice's term. The governor appoints a justice from a pool of names provided by the nominating commission. After occupying the seat for at least three years, the appointee runs in an uncontested yes-no retention election and, if retained, will serve a subsequent term of ten years.[10][11]
The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.
See also
External links
|
Officeholder Alaska Supreme Court |
Footnotes
- ↑ Alaska Public Media, "Anchorage judge Jennifer Stuart Henderson to be newest Alaska Supreme Court justice," July 7, 2021
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Alaska Division of Elections, "Jennifer S. Henderson – Superior Court Judge, Third Judicial District," accessed August 3, 2021
- ↑ Alaska.gov, "Governor Walker Announces Appointments to Anchorage Superior Court," May 15, 2017
- ↑ Alaska Public Media, "Anchorage judge Jennifer Stuart Henderson to be newest Alaska Supreme Court justice," July 8, 2021
- ↑ Alaska Judicial Council, "Selection Law - Constitutional and Statutory Provisions Concerning Judicial Selection: Alaska Constitution Article IV, Section 5. Nomination and Appointment," accessed March 23, 2023
- ↑ Alaska Judicial Council, "Constitutional and Statutory Provisions Concerning Judicial Retention/Evaluation: AS 15.35.030. Approval or rejection of supreme court justice," accessed March 23, 2023
- ↑ Alaska Judicial Council, "AS 22.05.070. Qualifications of justices," accessed March 23, 2023
- ↑ Alaska Judicial Council, "AS 22.25.010. Retirement of Justices and Judges," accessed March 23, 2023
- ↑ Alaska Court System, "Court System Information," accessed March 23, 2023
- ↑ Alaska Judicial Council, "Constitutional and Statutory Provisions Concerning Judicial Retention/Evaluation: AS 15.35.030. Approval or rejection of supreme court justice," accessed March 23, 2023
- ↑ Alaska Judicial Council, "Selection Law - Constitutional and Statutory Provisions Concerning Judicial Selection: Alaska Constitution Article IV, Section 5. Nomination and Appointment," accessed March 23, 2023
Federal courts:
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of Alaska • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of Alaska
State courts:
Alaska Supreme Court • Alaska Court of Appeals • Alaska Superior Court • Alaska District Court
State resources:
Courts in Alaska • Alaska judicial elections • Judicial selection in Alaska
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