Alaska

Civil Procedure

Civil Procedure

Rule 59 – New Trials-Amendment of Judgments

(a)Grounds. A new trial may be granted to all or any of the parties and on all or part of the issues in an action in which there has been a trial by jury or in an action tried without a jury, if required in the interest of justice. On a motion for a new trial in an action tried without a jury, the court may take additional testimony, amend findings of fact and conclusions of law or make new findings and conclusions, and direct the entry of a new judgment.
(b)Motion: Time for Serving — Statement of Grounds. A motion for a new trial shall be served not later than 10 days after the date shown in the clerk’s certificate of distribution on the judgment. The motion shall state the grounds upon which the moving party relies and shall refer to the papers on which the motion is to be based.
(c)Time for Serving Affidavits. When a motion for a new trial is based upon affidavits they shall be served with the motion. The opposing party has 10 days after such service within which to serve opposing affidavits, which period may be extended for an additional period not exceeding 20 days either by the court for good cause shown or by the parties by written stipulation. The court may permit reply affidavits.
(d)Contents of Affidavit. If a ground of the motion is newly discovered evidence, the motion shall be supported by the affidavit of the party, or of the party’s agent or any officer within whose charge or knowledge the facts are, and also by the affidavit of the party’s attorney, showing that the evidence was in fact newly discovered and why it could not with reasonable diligence have been produced at the trial. If the newly discovered evidence consists of oral testimony, the motion shall be supported by the affidavit of the witness or witnesses to the effect that the witness or witnesses would give the testimony proposed. If the newly discovered evidence is documentary, the motion shall be supported by the documents themselves or by duly authenticated copies thereof, or if that is impracticable, by satisfactory evidence of their contents.
(e)On Initiative of Court. Not later than 10 days after entry of judgment the court of its own initiative may order a new trial for any reason for which it might have granted a new trial on motion of a party. After giving the parties notice and an opportunity to be heard on the matter, the court may grant a motion for a new trial, timely served, for a reason not stated in the motion. In either case, the court shall specify the grounds therefor.
(f)Motion to Alter or Amend a Judgment. A motion to alter or amend the judgment shall be served not later than 10 days after the entry of the judgment.

Alaska R. Civ. P. 59

Adopted by SCO 5 October 9, 1959; amended by SCO 258 effective November 15, 1976; by SCO 554 effective April 4, 1983; and by SCO 1153 effective July 15, 1994; and by SCO 1361 effective October 15, 1999.

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.