Margaret Russell

This is a continuation of the interview with Judge Beverly Cutler on January 25, 2012 by Karen Brewster and Margaret Russell at her home in Palmer, Alaska. In this part of the interview, Judge Cutler talks about being a female judge, starting the superior court in Palmer, community involvement of judges, balancing family and career, making difficult decisions, and her views on mandatory sentencing laws.

Judge Tom Stewart was interviewed on October 25, 2002 by Margaret Russell in Anchorage, Alaska. In this interview, he talks about the Alaska Constitutional Convention and delegates, establishment of the state court and judge appointment systems, selection of the state’s first judges, the Boundary Commission, natural resource article in the constitution, amending the constitution, and Alaska statehood and the Alaska/Tennessee Plan, serving in the Alaska State Senate, establishment of the Judicial Council, establishment of the state’s first superior and supreme courts, the Alaska Court/Alaska Bar Association fight, serving as court administrator, and some of the early judges he worked with. Judge Stewart was also interviewed by Margaret Russell on September 20, 2002 in Anchorage, Alaska (tape number Oral History 2012-02-12).

Judge Tom Stewart was interviewed on September 20, 2002 by Margaret Russell in Anchorage, Alaska. Tom Stewart was a member of Alaska’s Territorial House of Representatives, was secretary for the Alaska Constitutional Convention in 1955/56, and served as a state senator in the first Alaska Legislature following statehood. He served as Administrative Director of the Alaska Court System in the early 1960’s and on the Juneau Superior Court bench from 1966 until his retirement in 1981. In this interview, Jusdge Stewart talks about his early years as an attorney, the Alaska Constitutional Convention, the judiciary article in the constitution, being a superior court judge, serving on public commissions, and some of the major cases he handled.

Judge Stewart was also interviewed by Margaret Russell on October 25, 2002 in Anchorage, Alaska (tape numbers Oral History 2012-02-13, Parts 1 &2). Judge Stewart also was interviewed on April 22, 1982 by Pamela Cravez where he discusses other parts of his life and career. This interview is available at the Joint Archives of the Alaska Court System and the Alaska Bar Association, Alaska State Court Law Library, Boney Courthouse, Anchorage, Alaska (907) 264-0585/(888) 282-2082 and at the Oral History Collection, Elmer E. Rasmuson Library, University of Alaska Fairbanks, (907) 474-6773.

Judge James Fitzgerald was interviewed on September 16, 2005 by Margaret Russell in Anchorage, Alaska. In this interview, he talks about working cases in his early years in Ketchikan and Juneau, relationship between local police and the US Attorney’s office, mental health cases and Morningside Hospital, local, state and federal jurisdictions, conflict over fish traps, police coverage around the state, enforcement of liquor laws, setting up the state’s court system and receiving judge training, the Court-Bar fight and state Bar Association issues, getting appointed and serving as a judge, and notable cases he handled. Judge Fitzgerald was also interviewed by Margaret Russell on June 3, 2005 (tape number Oral History 2012-02-09) and November 18, 2005 (tape number Oral History 2012-02-11) in Anchorage, Alaska.