Rule 60.Relief From Judgment or Order.

Last amended July 1, 2009 · Last verified July 6, 2026

In one sentenceRule 60 lets a court fix clerical mistakes at any time and, on a more demanding showing, grants relief from a final judgment or order for reasons like excusable neglect, newly discovered evidence, fraud, or a void judgment — generally within one year, though a void judgment escapes that cap and need only be challenged within a reasonable time.

Full Text of Rule 60

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

(a) Clerical Mistakes. Clerical mistakes in judgments, orders or other parts of the record and errors therein arising from oversight or omission may be corrected by the court at any time of its own initiative or on the motion of any party and after such notice, if any, as the court orders. During the pendency of an appeal or petition for review to the Supreme Court, such mistakes may be so corrected before the record is filed in the Supreme Court, and thereafter may be so corrected with leave of the Supreme Court. For purposes of this rule, the record includes electronic information maintained about the case.

(b) Mistakes—Inadvertence—Excusable Neglect— Newly Discovered Evidence—Fraud—Etc. On motion and upon such terms as are just, the court may relieve a party or a party’s legal representative from a final judgment, order, or proceeding for the following reasons:

(1) mistake, inadvertence, surprise or excusable neglect;

(2) newly discovered evidence which by due diligence could not have been discovered in time to move for a new trial under Rule 59(b);

(3) fraud (whether heretofore denominated intrinsic or extrinsic), misrepresentation, or other misconduct of an adverse party;

(4) the judgment is void;

(5) the judgment has been satisfied, released, or discharged, or a prior judgment upon which it is based has been reversed or otherwise vacated, or it is no longer equitable that the judgment should have prospective application; or

(6) any other reason justifying relief from the operation of the judgment.

The motion shall be made within a reasonable time, and for reasons (1), (2) and (3) not more than one year after the date of notice of the judgment or orders as defined in Civil Rule 58.1(c). A motion under this subdivision (b) does not affect the finality of a judgment or suspend its operation. This rule does not limit the power of a court to entertain an independent action to relieve a party from a judgment, order or proceeding, or to grant relief to a defendant not personally served, or to set aside a judgment for fraud upon the court. Writs of coram nobis, coram vobis and audita querela are abolished, and the procedure for obtaining any relief from a judgment shall be by motion as prescribed in these rules or by an independent action.

(c) Form of Amended or Corrected Judgments. A motion to amend or correct a judgment must be accompanied by a proposed amended or corrected judgment and a separate proposed order. The new judgment must include the word “amended” or “corrected” in the title.

End

Amendment History

(Adopted by SCO 5 October 9, 1959; amended by SCO 554 effective April 4, 1983; by SCO 1153 effective July 15, 1994; by SCO 1361 effective October 15, 1999; by SCO 1415 effective October 15, 2000; by SCO 1622 effective October 15, 2006; and by SCO 1670 effective July 1, 2009)

Notes

Note: Chapter 42 § 2 SLA 1999 enacts AS 09.19.200 which governs the remedies available in civil litigation involving conditions in correctional facilities. According to § 3 of the act, the enactment of AS 09.19.200 has the effect of amending Civil Rules 59(f), 60(b), 62, and 65 by altering the remedies available and the procedure to be used in litigation involving correctional facilities.

Note (effective July 1, 2009): Chapter 92 SLA 2008 (HB 65) added a new chapter to AS 45 relating to security of personal information, effective July 1, 2009. According to section 6(a) of the Act, AS 45.48.640, enacted by section 4, has the effect of changing Civil Rule 60(b) by allowing a court to vacate an order on its own motion and at any time and by establishing a specific criterion for vacating the order under AS 45.48.640.

Plain-English Summary

Clerical mistakes in a judgment, order, or the case record can be corrected by the court at any time, on its own initiative or a party's motion, even while an appeal or petition for review is pending (with the Supreme Court's leave once the record has already been filed there). Beyond clerical fixes, a party can move for relief from a final judgment, order, or proceeding on any of six grounds: mistake, inadvertence, surprise, or excusable neglect; newly discovered evidence that couldn't have been found in time for a new-trial motion; fraud or other misconduct by the other side; a void judgment; a judgment that's been satisfied or reversed, or that it's no longer fair to keep enforcing; or any other reason that justifies relief. The motion has to be made within a reasonable time, and for the first three grounds, no later than a year after notice of the judgment — though the rule doesn't limit a court's separate power to hear an independent action for relief, help a defendant who was never properly served, or set aside a judgment obtained through fraud on the court itself; older writs like coram nobis are abolished, with a motion or independent action now the only route to this kind of relief.

A motion to amend or correct a judgment must come with the proposed new judgment already drafted, plus a separate proposed order, and the revised judgment has to say "amended" or "corrected" in its title.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a court fix a clerical error in a judgment after it's entered?

Yes, at any time, on the court's own initiative or a party's motion, even while an appeal is pending.

How long do I have to ask for relief from a judgment based on fraud or newly discovered evidence?

Generally within a reasonable time, and no later than one year after notice of the judgment, though a void judgment or one obtained through fraud on the court can be challenged without that one-year limit.

What has to accompany a motion to amend or correct a judgment?

A proposed amended or corrected judgment and a separate proposed order, with the word "amended" or "corrected" included in the new judgment's title.

Source & verification. The rule text, Amendment History, and Notes are reproduced verbatim from the official Alaska Rules of Civil Procedure (Alaska R. Civ. P. 60). 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: relief from judgment Alaska civil rule60(b) motion Alaskaexcusable neglect Alaska motionvoid judgment Alaskavacating a judgment AlaskaAlaska R. Civ. P. 60