Rule 58.1.Judgments and Orders—Effective Dates and Commencement of Time for Appeal, Review and Reconsideration.

Last amended October 15, 2000 · Last verified July 6, 2026

In one sentenceRule 58.1 pins down exactly when an order or judgment takes effect and when the clock starts running for an appeal, reconsideration, or review — distinguishing oral orders, written orders, and judgments, and relying on the clerk's certificate of distribution to mark the date.

Full Text of Rule 58.1

Text sizeJump to: (a) (b) (c) (d)

(a) Effective Dates of Orders and Judgments. Orders and judgments become effective the date they are entered.

(1) Oral Orders. The date of entry of an oral order is the date the order is put on the official electronic record by the judge unless otherwise specified by the judge. At the time the judge announces an oral order, the judge shall also announce on the record whether the order shall be reduced to writing. If the oral order is reduced to writing, the effective date shall be included in the written order.

(2) Written Orders Not Preceded by Oral Orders. The date of entry of a written order not preceded by an oral order is the date the written order is signed unless otherwise specified in the order.

(3) Judgments. The date of entry of a civil judgment is the date it is signed unless otherwise specified in the judgment. All judgments shall be reduced to writing.

(b) Commencement of Time for Appeal, Review and Reconsideration. The time within which a notice of appeal may be filed and reconsideration or review of orders and judgments may be requested begins running on the date of notice as defined below.

(1) Oral Orders.

(i) As to the parties present when an oral order is announced, the date of notice is the date the judge announces the order on the official electronic record, unless at that time the judge announces that the order will be reduced to writing in which case the date of notice is the date shown in the clerk’s certificate of distribution on the written order.

(ii) As to parties not present at the announcement of an oral order, the date of notice is the date shown in the clerk’s certificate of distribution of notice of the order. If, however, at the time the judge announces the oral order the judge announces that the order will be reduced to writing, the date of notice is the date shown in the clerk’s certificate of distribution on the written order.

(2) Written Orders. The date of notice of a written order is the date shown in the clerk’s certificate of distribution on the written order.

(3) Judgments. All judgments must be reduced to writing. The date of notice of a judgment is the date shown in the clerk’s certificate of distribution on the written judgment.

(4) Other Service Requirements. The notice provisions apply to the notice of orders and judgments under Rule 73(d) and do not affect the service requirements of any other rule of civil procedure.

(d) Clerk’s Certificate of Distribution. Every written notice of an oral order and every written order and judgment shall include a clerk’s certificate of distribution showing the date copies of the notice, order or judgment were distributed, the name of each person to whom a copy was distributed, and the name or initials of the court employee who distributed the copies.

End

Amendment History

(Added by SCO 554 effective April 4, 1983; amended by SCO 900 effective January 15, 1989; by SCO 1153 effective July 15, 1994; and by SCO 1414 effective October 15, 2000)

Plain-English Summary

An order or judgment takes effect on the date it's entered. An oral order is entered the date the judge puts it on the official record, unless the judge says otherwise, and the judge must announce right then whether the order will also be reduced to writing; a written order not preceded by an oral one is entered when it's signed, and every judgment must be reduced to writing and is entered the day it's signed, unless it specifies a different date.

The deadline to appeal, or to ask for reconsideration or review, starts running from the "date of notice." For an oral order, that's the date the judge announced it on the record for anyone present at the time — unless the judge said it would be reduced to writing, in which case the date of notice is the date shown on the clerk's certificate of distribution for the written version; for anyone not present, the date of notice is always tied to the clerk's certificate of distribution. Written orders and judgments work the same way: the date of notice is the date on the clerk's certificate of distribution. That certificate has to show the distribution date, who received a copy, and which court employee sent it out.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does a judgment officially take effect in Alaska?

On the date it's entered, which for a judgment is the date it's signed, unless the judgment itself specifies a different effective date.

When does my deadline to appeal start running?

From the "date of notice," which for a written order or judgment is the date shown on the clerk's certificate of distribution.

What is a clerk's certificate of distribution?

A required part of every written order and judgment showing the date it was distributed, who received a copy, and which court employee sent it out.

Source & verification. The rule text, Amendment History, and Notes are reproduced verbatim from the official Alaska Rules of Civil Procedure (Alaska R. Civ. P. 58.1). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Alaska (Alaska Const. art. IV, § 15). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 6, 2026. · Official source

Also known as: date of entry of judgment Alaskaclerk's certificate of distribution Alaskaappeal deadline Alaska civil casewhen does an order take effect AlaskaAlaska R. Civ. P. 58.1