Judge Sen Tan To Retire

Judge Sen Tan has announced that he will be stepping down from the bench.

In a brief letter sent yesterday, the Anchorage Superior Court judge informed Gov. Sean Parnell that his retirement would be effective on July 1. Tan did not give a specific reason for leaving his post or supply information on his future plans.

Tan has served as a superior court judge since 1997. Larry Cohn, who directs the Alaska Judicial Council, says Tan earned high marks through his career.

<<18s "Judge Tan has consistently received very high ratings from those who are most familiar with his professional work as a judge, including attorneys, and law enforcement officers, and court employees, and jurors," says Cohn. While Tan was respected in the legal world, a conservative advocacy group campaigned for his removal in 2012. Alaska Family Action urged voters to oppose Tan's retention because of a ruling concerning abortion that he made in the late 1990s. Tan ultimately secured 55 percent of the vote. Cohn doesn't think that Tan's retention should have been politicized. "To those critics who are dissatisfied with the content of decisions he's made, we strive to have impartial and fair judges and independent judges who follow the law. And the law is not necessarily popular." The Alaska Judicial Council will be taking applications for the judgeship through February 7. The group plans to provide its recommendations to the governor in June.