Alaska courts
When must I Answer an ordinary Alaska civil complaint?
You normally must Answer an ordinary Alaska civil complaint within 20 calendar days after service of the summons and complaint on the defendant, under Alaska R. Civ. P. 12(a). If the final day is a Saturday, Sunday or Alaska legal holiday, the computation rule carries it to the next day that is not. Alaska legal holidays for 2026 and 2027 are applied; a local court closure or a holiday declared by the Governor or the President can extend the deadline further.
- Period
- 20 calendar days
- Trigger
- Service of the summons and complaint on the defendant
- Rule
- Alaska R. Civ. P. 12(a)
Alaska rules as encoded, 2026 and 2027 legal holidays bundled
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Which date starts the 20-day period?
The period runs from the service of the summons and complaint on the defendant.
For Alaska R. Civ. P. 12(a), count forward from the trigger event. Confirm the event on the docket or in the service record before entering a date.
Read Alaska Court System rulesA defendant shall serve an answer within 20 days after the service of the summons and complaint upon that defendant, unless otherwise directed when service of process is made pursuant to Rule 4(e).
Alaska R. Civ. P. 12(a)
This period runs from service as the rule defines it. Do not substitute the filing date, the day a courtesy copy arrived or the day you first read the paper. Confirm that event before applying Alaska R. Civ. P. 12(a).
Which date do I enter?How are the 20 calendar days counted?
- Alaska R. Civ. P. 12(a). Exclude the day of the trigger event.
- Count every following day, including intermediate Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays.
- If the last day is a Saturday, Sunday or Alaska legal holiday, continue to the next day that is not one of those.
The Alaska R. Civ. P. 12(a) record uses this method. Exclude the trigger day and count calendar days under Alaska R. Civ. P. 6(a) and Alaska R. App. P. 502(a).
For Alaska R. Civ. P. 12(a), if the final day is a Saturday, Sunday or Alaska legal holiday, the computation rule carries it to the next day that is not. Alaska legal holidays for 2026 and 2027 are applied; a local court closure or a holiday declared by the Governor or the President can extend the deadline further.
The supporting computation provision for Alaska R. Civ. P. 12(a) adds this boundary. Alaska computes time under Alaska R. Civ. P. 6(a) and Alaska R. App. P. 502(a). The calculator applies Alaska legal holidays for 2026 and 2027. A local court closure, an emergency closure or a holiday declared by the Governor or the President is not bundled and can extend the deadline.
Read Alaska R. Civ. P. 6(a) and Alaska R. App. P. 502(a)The calculation applies the ordinary method recorded for Alaska R. Civ. P. 12(a). Check applicable holidays, court accessibility and the filing cutoff separately.
Review the filing checklistWhat does a worked calculation look like?
Fictitious example
Assume the service of the summons and complaint on the defendant on Tuesday, September 1, 2026 (service of the summons and complaint on the defendant on this date, with no order, motion or extension affecting the period), with no order, motion, extension or local closure affecting the result. Exclude the trigger day and count calendar days under Alaska R. Civ. P. 6(a) and Alaska R. App. P. 502(a). The example assumes no local rule, order or closure changes the ordinary period under Alaska R. Civ. P. 12(a).
| Step | What is counted | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Service | Do not count this day | September 1, 2026 |
| Day 1 | Start counting calendar days | September 2, 2026 |
| Day 20 | Ordinary deadline in this example | September 21, 2026 |
Can an order, motion or extension change the deadline?
- Extensions
- The court may enlarge the period under Alaska R. Civ. P. 6(b), subject to the rule and any court order.
- Orders and local rules
- A scheduling order, approved stipulation, standing order or local rule can control over the ordinary period described by Alaska R. Civ. P. 12(a).
- The court may enlarge the period under Alaska R. Civ. P. 6(b), subject to the rule and any court order.
- A stipulation, scheduling order, standing order or local rule can control over the ordinary period described by Alaska R. Civ. P. 12(a).
What should I check before filing?
Common questions
Starting the clock
Does the clock start on the service of the summons and complaint on the defendant, or when I first learned of it?
Under Alaska R. Civ. P. 12(a), the period runs from the service of the summons and complaint on the defendant, not from the day you read about it, received a courtesy copy or attended a hearing. Use the date shown on the docket or in the service record.
Counting days and filing
Is it 20 calendar days or business days?
For Alaska R. Civ. P. 12(a), count calendar days, including intermediate weekends and holidays. If the final day is a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, Alaska R. Civ. P. 6(a) and Alaska R. App. P. 502(a) carries it forward as provided by that rule.
Alaska R. Civ. P. 6(a) and Alaska R. App. P. 502(a)Which time zone and filing cutoff apply?
Alaska filing rules and the court’s electronic filing system set the cutoff. This calculator does not verify filing hours or system availability. Confirm that boundary before relying on a Alaska R. Civ. P. 12(a) result.
Alaska R. Civ. P. 6(a) and Alaska R. App. P. 502(a)What if the court is inaccessible on the last day?
Alaska R. Civ. P. 6(a) and Alaska R. App. P. 502(a) and the court’s administrative orders govern an inaccessible clerk’s office. Check the court’s notices. This calculator does not predict a closure. This check remains separate from the ordinary Alaska R. Civ. P. 12(a) count.
Alaska R. Civ. P. 6(a) and Alaska R. App. P. 502(a)Extensions and local rules
Can the court extend this deadline?
The court may enlarge the period under Alaska R. Civ. P. 6(b), subject to the rule and any court order. A request does not itself extend the period under Alaska R. Civ. P. 12(a), and no discretionary extension is calculated here.
Do local rules, standing orders or a scheduling order change the date?
They can. A local rule, standing order or case-specific order can control over the ordinary period calculated under Alaska R. Civ. P. 12(a). Compare the result with every applicable order before relying on it.
Choosing the right calculator
Does this calculator decide whether the rule applies to my case?
No. It calculates a period from the date you provide under Alaska R. Civ. P. 12(a). It does not decide whether the rule governs your filing, whether an exception applies, or whether the filing has merit.
Can I calculate the deadline without an account?
Yes. Enter the trigger date to see the free calculation under Alaska R. Civ. P. 12(a), including the citation, counting steps and warnings. Court-specific facts can keep a result provisional.
Results, records and your case
What is included in an Evidence Record?
An eligible Alaska R. Civ. P. 12(a) record retains the inputs, result, cited rule, calculation working, warnings and review state. It records that calculation and its fingerprint, not a guarantee of legal correctness.
Does saving to a case activate the calendar?
Not automatically. A provisional Alaska R. Civ. P. 12(a) result remains subject to review, and a separately labeled manual date does not alter the original calculation.
Official sources and review
Provisions used (2)
| Provision | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Alaska R. Civ. P. 12(a) | Trigger and period |
| Alaska R. Civ. P. 6(a) and Alaska R. App. P. 502(a) | Counting, holidays and the last day |