Yesterday, Nov 12, President Trump announced the nomination of Aaron Christian Peterson to serve as Judge on the United States District Court for the District of Alaska. Senator Sullivan, who played a key role in Peterson’s nomination, lauded the announcement, highlighting Peterson’s “demonstrated commitment to the rule of law and federalism.”
Peterson was contacted on January 1, 2025, by an attorney working on Governor Dunleavy’s federal transition plan. The attorney encouraged him to apply to Senator Sullivan’s Alaska Federal Judiciary Council. The Council serves as an organized effort to timely find and recommend qualified candidates for federal judgeship vacancies.
After serving his country in the Air Force, Peterson served his home-state as assistant attorney general in Alaska’s Department of Law Office of Special Prosecutions and then as senior assistant attorney general in DOL’s Natural Resources Section.
When asked to describe the ten most significant litigated matters which he personally handled, Peterson listed United States v Alaska, 1:22-cv-ooo54-SLG as his number one case. In this case, Peterson defended the State of Alaska against the United States’ lawsuit intending to “prevent the State from managing fisheries on navigable waters within conservation system units created by the Alaska National Interests Lands Conservation Act.”
Peterson’s career is marked by a significant focus on defending Alaska’s right to manage its own natural resources and prosecuting fish and wildlife crimes.
The “Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees” below details Peterson’s career, education, military service, process of nomination to the federal court, publications, interviews, and the nine other most significant litigated matters handled personally by Peterson.