Craig F. Stowers
Encyclopedia
Craig F. Stowers is an Associate Justice of the Alaska Supreme Court
, who was appointed by Republican
Governor Sean Parnell
in 2009 to replace retiring Justice Robert Eastaugh. Stowers was one of seven candidates recommended to the Governor by the Alaska Judicial Council out of a record 25 applicants.
Born in Daytona Beach, Florida
and raised in Yorktown, Virginia
, Stowers earned his Bachelor of Science
degree in Biology
from Blackburn College in 1975. He then went on to serve as a park ranger
with the National Park Service
at Colonial National Historical Park
in Virginia
before transferring to Mount McKinley National Park in 1977. After leaving the National Park Service he earned his Juris Doctor
in 1985 from the University of California, Davis School of Law
, where he was inducted into the Order of the Coif
honor society
. After earning his law degree, Stowers served as a law clerk
for U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
Judge Robert Boochever
and then went on to serve as a law clerk for Alaska Supreme Court Justice Warren Matthews
.
In 1987, Stowers joined the law firm
of Atkinson, Conway & Gagnon until leaving in 1995 to become a founding partner of the law firm of Clapp, Peterson and Stowers. In 2004, he left Clapp, Peterson and Stowers when he was appointed a Superior Court Judge for the Third Judicial District in Anchorage
by Governor Frank Murkowski
.
Before his appointment to the Supreme Court by Governor Sean Parnell
in 2009, Stowers was President of the Board of Directors
of Christian Health Associates. He is also a former board member of the Alaska Natural History Association, Brother Francis Shelter, and Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center.
Alaska Supreme Court
The Alaska Supreme Court is the state supreme court in the State of Alaska's judicial department . The supreme court is composed of the chief justice and four associate justices, who are all appointed by the governor of Alaska and face judicial retention elections and who choose one of their own...
, who was appointed by Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Governor Sean Parnell
Sean Parnell
Sean R. Parnell is an American Republican politician who is the tenth and current Governor of Alaska. He succeeded Sarah Palin following her resignation, and was sworn in at the Governor's Picnic in Fairbanks on July 26, 2009...
in 2009 to replace retiring Justice Robert Eastaugh. Stowers was one of seven candidates recommended to the Governor by the Alaska Judicial Council out of a record 25 applicants.
Born in Daytona Beach, Florida
Daytona Beach, Florida
Daytona Beach is a city in Volusia County, Florida, USA. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city has a population of 64,211. Daytona Beach is a principal city of the Deltona – Daytona Beach – Ormond Beach, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which the census bureau estimated had...
and raised in Yorktown, Virginia
Yorktown, Virginia
Yorktown is a census-designated place in York County, Virginia, United States. The population was 220 in the 2000 census. It is the county seat of York County, one of the eight original shires formed in colonial Virginia in 1634....
, Stowers earned his Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in Biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
from Blackburn College in 1975. He then went on to serve as a park ranger
Park ranger
A park ranger or forest ranger is a person entrusted with protecting and preserving parklands – national, state, provincial, or local parks. Different countries use different names for the position. Ranger is the favored term in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Within the United...
with the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
at Colonial National Historical Park
Colonial National Historical Park
Colonial National Historical Park is located in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia and is operated by the National Park Service of the United States government...
in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
before transferring to Mount McKinley National Park in 1977. After leaving the National Park Service he earned his Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
in 1985 from the University of California, Davis School of Law
UC Davis School of Law
The University of California Davis School of Law , referred to as UC Davis School of Law and commonly known as King Hall and UC Davis Law, is an American Bar Association approved law school located in Davis, California on the campus of the University of California, Davis. The school received ABA...
, where he was inducted into the Order of the Coif
Order of the Coif
The Order of the Coif is an honor society for United States law school graduates. A student at an American law school who earns a Juris Doctor degree and graduates in the top 10 percent of his or her class is eligible for membership if the student's law school has a chapter of the...
honor society
Honor society
In the United States, an honor society is a rank organization that recognizes excellence among peers. Numerous societies recognize various fields and circumstances. The Order of the Arrow, for example, is the national honor society of the Boy Scouts of America...
. After earning his law degree, Stowers served as a law clerk
Law clerk
A law clerk or a judicial clerk is a person who provides assistance to a judge in researching issues before the court and in writing opinions. Law clerks are not court clerks or courtroom deputies, who are administrative staff for the court. Most law clerks are recent law school graduates who...
for U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit is a U.S. federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* District of Alaska* District of Arizona...
Judge Robert Boochever
Robert Boochever
Robert Boochever was a United States federal judge and a Justice of the Alaska Supreme Court.Born in New York City, New York, Boochever received a B.A. from Cornell University in 1939, where he was a member of the Quill and Dagger society, and an LL.D. from Cornell Law School in 1941...
and then went on to serve as a law clerk for Alaska Supreme Court Justice Warren Matthews
Warren Matthews
Warren W. Matthews, Jr. is a retired jurist, who served as the 8th and 12th Chief Justice of the Alaska Supreme Court. His service as a justice of that court from May 1977 to April 2009 makes him the second-longest serving justice in Alaska history, slightly less than that of Jay Rabinowitz.Born...
.
In 1987, Stowers joined the law firm
Law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions, and other...
of Atkinson, Conway & Gagnon until leaving in 1995 to become a founding partner of the law firm of Clapp, Peterson and Stowers. In 2004, he left Clapp, Peterson and Stowers when he was appointed a Superior Court Judge for the Third Judicial District in Anchorage
Anchorage, Alaska
Anchorage is a unified home rule municipality in the southcentral part of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is the northernmost major city in the United States...
by Governor Frank Murkowski
Frank Murkowski
Francis Hughes Murkowski is an American politician and a member of the Republican Party. He was a United States Senator from Alaska from 1981 until 2002 and the eighth Governor of Alaska from 2002 until 2006.- Early life and career :...
.
Before his appointment to the Supreme Court by Governor Sean Parnell
Sean Parnell
Sean R. Parnell is an American Republican politician who is the tenth and current Governor of Alaska. He succeeded Sarah Palin following her resignation, and was sworn in at the Governor's Picnic in Fairbanks on July 26, 2009...
in 2009, Stowers was President of the Board of Directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of Christian Health Associates. He is also a former board member of the Alaska Natural History Association, Brother Francis Shelter, and Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center.