Default judgment in Alaska: how to set it aside

What a default judgment means and how to ask the court to set it aside, with a deadline calculator.

Checked against official sources: Oct 24, 2026.

Short answer

A default judgment means the court decided against you because you didn't answer. If the default was entered recently and the creditor has not started collecting, file a Motion, Affidavit & Order to Set Aside Default & Accept Late Filed Answer (CIV-858) together with your answer (CIV-481) and show 'good cause'.

Shortest time to ask
1 year (Rule 60(b): mistake, excusable neglect, new evidence or fraud (outer limit))
Time to answer
20 days

How a default happens in Alaska

If you are properly served and do not file an answer within 20 days, the plaintiff can ask for a default judgment. The plaintiff then gets what it asked for without the court hearing your side, and can collect from your bank account, Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) or paycheck.

How to set aside a default in Alaska

If the default was entered recently and the creditor has not started collecting, file a Motion, Affidavit & Order to Set Aside Default & Accept Late Filed Answer (CIV-858) together with your answer (CIV-481) and show 'good cause'. Otherwise, file a Motion and Affidavit to Set Aside Judgment or Order (SHC-1548) under Civil Rule 60(b). A motion based on mistake, excusable neglect, newly discovered evidence or fraud must be filed within a reasonable time and no more than 1 year after the judgment.

Law: Alaska R. Civ. P. 55(e); Alaska R. Civ. P. 60(b)

Count your deadline to set aside a default

The date is counted in your browser.

The court's name is at the top of the judgment.

An estimate from our state data, not legal advice. Court holidays and local rules can change a deadline. File early, and ask the court clerk if you are not sure.

Interest and how long it lasts in Alaska

Interest after the judgment

3 percentage points above the 12th Federal Reserve District discount rate in effect on January 2 of the year the judgment is entered. If the judgment is based on a written contract with a stated interest rate (no higher than the legal rate), the contract rate applies if it is written in the judgment.

How long it lasts

A creditor has 10 years to bring a new lawsuit on the judgment. If 5 years pass after the judgment without a writ of execution being issued, the creditor needs a court order to get one; the court grants it if there are just and sufficient reasons for the delay.

Law: AS 09.30.070(a); AS 09.10.040(a); AS 09.35.020

After a judgment in Alaska

Mediation and settlement in Alaska

The Anchorage District Court offers free mediation by trained volunteers in small claims cases, on the morning the case is set for trial. In formal cases, the judge may ask whether the parties want mediation or a settlement conference.

Military service and defaults

Before the court gives the plaintiff a default judgment, the plaintiff must file a sworn statement saying whether you are in military service.

Law: 50 U.S.C. 3931(b)(1)

Steps after a default in Alaska

  1. Get the judgment papers

    The judgment's date matters. Ask the clerk for a copy.

  2. Move fast

    The rule in Alaska: If the default was entered recently and the creditor has not started collecting, file a Motion, Affidavit & Order to Set Aside Default & Accept Late Filed Answer (CIV-858) together with your answer (CIV-481) and show 'good cause'.

  3. Explain why and show a defense

    Most courts want to know why you didn't answer and what your defense is. Attach your answer if the court asks.

  4. Protect your money

    Read After a judgment in Alaska.

Where to get free help in Alaska

Questions about default judgments in Alaska

How long do I have to answer a debt lawsuit in Alaska?

20 days after you are served with the summons and complaint (district court and small claims). Count every day. If the last day is a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, it is due the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday. A Friday deadline does not move.

Can the plaintiff win by default in Alaska?

If you are properly served and do not file an answer within 20 days, the plaintiff can ask for a default judgment. The plaintiff then gets what it asked for without the court hearing your side, and can collect from your bank account, Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) or paycheck.

How do I set aside a default in Alaska?

If the default was entered recently and the creditor has not started collecting, file a Motion, Affidavit & Order to Set Aside Default & Accept Late Filed Answer (CIV-858) together with your answer (CIV-481) and show 'good cause'. Otherwise, file a Motion and Affidavit to Set Aside Judgment or Order (SHC-1548) under Civil Rule 60(b). A motion based on mistake, excusable neglect, newly discovered evidence or fraud must be filed within a reasonable time and no more than 1 year after the judgment.

More for Alaska

Sources

Sources

Last checked: Oct 24, 2026.

Federal sources