Haines Borough Public Records

Haines Borough public records are kept by the Borough Clerk and by state agencies for court and property matters. The Haines Borough is a home rule borough in Southeast Alaska, and it has its own government with a Clerk's Office that handles municipal records requests. Court records go through the First Judicial District, with the Haines court serving as both a Superior Court and District Court facility. Under AS 40.25.110, every person has the right to inspect Haines Borough public records, and the borough must respond to requests within 10 working days.

Haines Borough Clerk Records

The Borough Clerk's Office is the primary source for Haines Borough municipal public records. The Clerk's Office is part of the borough government at 103 Third Avenue South, Haines, AK 99827. The borough government phone is 907-766-6400, and the Clerk's direct line is 907-766-6411. The Clerk maintains assembly minutes, ordinances, resolutions, and other official documents. Records requests under the Alaska Public Records Act should be submitted in writing to the Clerk's Office.

The borough's official website at hainesalaska.gov provides contact information for the Clerk and other departments. Some records such as assembly meeting agendas and minutes may be posted online. For records not posted online, submit a written request specifying what you need, the date range, and your preferred format. Under APRA, the borough responds within 10 working days of receiving a request. If the request is complex, the borough may extend that timeline with written notice. Search costs exceeding 5 person-hours in a calendar month can be charged at actual staff rates.

The borough website is the right starting point for municipal documents including assembly minutes, ordinances, and general borough records requests.

Haines Borough Court Records

The Haines court serves as both a Superior Court and District Court facility within the First Judicial District. The courthouse is at 219 Main Street, Haines, AK 99827, mailing address Box 169, Haines AK 99827. Customer service is available at 907-766-2801. Record requests by fax go to 907-766-3148. Email requests go to 1HAmailbox@akcourts.gov.

Superior Court handles felony criminal cases, civil matters over $100,000, domestic relations cases, and probate. District Court handles misdemeanors, violations, and small claims up to $10,000. Because Haines is a smaller community, one courthouse handles both court levels. For cases requiring more resources, some matters may involve judges traveling from other First District locations in Southeast Alaska.

Online case lookup is available at no cost through CourtView. You can search by party name, case number, or citation. The system shows case type, filing date, status, scheduled hearings, and in many cases document images. Certified copies from the Haines court cost $10 for certification plus $0.25 per page. You can request records in person, by mail, or by phone with a credit card. Research fees of $30 per hour apply when no case number is provided, and AS 22.35.030 allows removal of acquittal and dismissal records from public online access after 60 days.

The court directory gives requesters the fax number, email, and mailing address for submitting certified copy requests to the Haines courthouse.

Note: For civil matters and serious criminal cases, the First Judicial District also includes courts in Juneau and Ketchikan that may handle overflow or appeals from the Haines court.

Property Records in Haines Borough

Real property documents for the Haines Borough are recorded through the Juneau Recording District office of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources. The Juneau Recording District Office is at 400 Willoughby Avenue, 4th Floor, Juneau, AK 99801, phone 907-465-3453. All deeds, mortgages, liens, and related documents go through this office under the authority of AS 40.17.030.

Recording fees are $20 for the first page and $5 for each additional page. Certified copies from the Juneau Recording District cost $10 for the first page and $3 for each additional page. Once a document is recorded, it becomes part of the permanent public record available to anyone. The DNR Recorder's Office website describes all document types, search options, and fee schedules. Online searches through the Alaska Land Records Information System cover grantor and grantee indexes from 1970 forward. For older records, staff can assist at the Juneau office, though capacity for deep historical research is limited.

The DNR Recorder's page shows fee schedules, searchable fields, and the full range of document types accepted for recording in Alaska recording districts.

Law Enforcement Records in Haines

The Haines Borough has both a local police department and Alaska State Troopers coverage. Arrest records and incident reports may be held by either agency depending on who handled the incident. The Haines Borough Police Department covers municipal law enforcement within the borough. The Alaska State Troopers also provide coverage for the area, particularly outside incorporated city limits and for cases requiring state-level resources.

Records requests go to whichever agency handled the incident. For Trooper records, contact the DPS Criminal Records and Identification Bureau at 5700 East Tudor Road, Anchorage, AK 99507, phone 907-269-5511. Include the date, location, and names of parties involved in your request. Certain law enforcement records are exempt from disclosure under AS 40.25.120(a), including records that might compromise investigations or contain personal information protected by law. You will receive an initial response within 10 working days under APRA.

For criminal history background checks, the DPS self-service online portal offers name-based searches. The fee is $20 for the initial report and $5 for each additional copy. The online system requires a Social Security number and an Alaska driver's license or DMV-issued ID. Mail-in requests accept cash, check, or money order as payment. In-person requests require two forms of photo ID, one government-issued.

Note: When requesting law enforcement records, specifying both the local police department and the State Troopers in your request can help ensure you get records from whichever agency was involved.

Vital Records for Haines Borough Residents

Birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates for events occurring in the Haines Borough are maintained by the Alaska Bureau of Vital Statistics. The Juneau office at 5441 Commercial Boulevard accepts walk-in requests and is the most convenient in-person location for Haines Borough residents traveling by ferry. Under AS 18.50, births are restricted for 100 years and marriage, divorce, and death records for 50 years from the event date.

Three ordering methods are available: online via VitalChek.com (2-3 weeks plus shipping), in person at Anchorage or Juneau (same-day or next-day service), or by mail or fax (2-3 months). Fees are $30 for the first certified copy and $25 for each additional copy of the same record. Contact BVSOffice@alaska.gov for processing questions. Corrections, amendments, adoptions, and paternity matters go to BVSSpecialServices@alaska.gov. Only VitalChek.com is an authorized third-party vendor; other online services claiming to offer Alaska vital records may be fraudulent.

Alaska Public Records Act in Haines Borough

All public records requests in the Haines Borough are governed by the Alaska Public Records Act (AS 40.25.100 through AS 40.25.295). The act establishes that all public records are open to inspection unless specifically exempt. Requests can come from anyone, not just Alaska residents. Possible exemptions under AS 40.25.120(a) include juvenile records, adoption records, medical records, library lending records, certain law enforcement records, and security-related information.

If a request is denied, you can appeal to the agency head within 60 working days. The appeal must be in writing and include the denial date, the name of the person who denied it, and a description of the records at issue. Under AS 40.25.125, if an agency wrongly withholds public records, you can seek injunctive relief through the courts. The Alaska Court System has similar but separately governed access rules under Administrative Rules 37.5 and 37.6, which establish that court records are presumptively public with exceptions for confidential and sealed matters.

Fee relief is available for requesters who show that disclosure would significantly contribute to public understanding of government operations. News organizations have a separate exception under 2 AAC 96.360(c) that limits certain copy fees. For general research and reference purposes, the Alaska State Archives at 907-465-2270 or archives@alaska.gov holds historical records that agencies no longer maintain in active files.

Cities in Haines Borough

The Haines Borough includes the community of Haines and nearby areas in the Chilkat Valley. No communities in the Haines Borough have individual city pages on this site. All court matters go through the Haines courthouse at 219 Main Street.

Nearby Alaska Boroughs

These neighboring Southeast Alaska areas are close to the Haines Borough and have their own courts and record systems.