Statutes: Alaska

(a) If the petition is filed under AS 25.24.200(a), and is not subject to AS 25.24.220(h), the court may grant the spouses a final decree of dissolution and shall order other relief as provided in this section if the court, upon consideration of the information contained in the petition and the testimony of the spouse or spouses at the hearing, finds that

(1) the spouses understand fully the nature and consequences of their action;

(2) the written agreements between the spouses concerning spousal maintenance and tax consequences, if any, division of property, including retirement benefits, and allocation of obligations are fair and just and constitute the entire agreement between the parties;

(3) the spousal maintenance and division of property fairly allocate the economic effect of dissolution and take into consideration the factors listed in AS 25.24.160(a)(2) and (4);

(4) each spouse entered into the agreement voluntarily and free from the coercion of another person;

(5) the conditions in AS 25.24.200(a) have been met; and

(6) the written agreements between the spouses concerning ownership or joint ownership of an animal take into consideration the well-being of the animal.

(b) If the petition is filed under AS 25.24.200(a) and is subject to AS 25.24.220(h), the court may grant the spouses a final decree of dissolution and shall order other relief as provided in this section if the court, upon consideration of the information contained in the petition and the testimony of the spouse or spouses at the hearing, finds that

(1) the spouses understand fully the nature and consequences of their action;

(2) the written agreements between the spouses concerning child custody, child support, and visitation are in the best interest of the children of the marriage, constitute the entire agreement of the parties on child custody, child support, and visitation, and, as between the spouses, are just;

(3) the written agreements between the spouses concerning spousal maintenance and tax consequences, if any, division of property, including retirement benefits, and allocation of obligations are just and constitute the entire agreement between the parties;

(4) the spousal maintenance and division of property fairly allocate the economic effect of dissolution and take into consideration the factors listed in AS 25.24.160(a)(2) and (4);

(5) each spouse entered the agreement voluntarily and free from the coercion of another person; and

(6) the conditions in AS 25.24.200(a) have been met.

(c) If the petition is filed by one spouse under AS 25.24.200(b), the court may grant the spouse a final decree of dissolution and change the petitioner’s name, if so requested, if the court, upon consideration of affidavits supplied by the spouse and the testimony of the spouse at the hearing, finds that

(1) the spouse present at the hearing understands fully the nature and consequences of the action;

(2) the conditions in AS 25.24.200(b) have been met; and

(3) the requirements of AS 25.24.165(b) have been satisfied, if a change of name is requested.

(d) The court shall dismiss a petition or continue action on a petition filed under AS 25.24.200 - 25.24.260 before findings are made if

(1) a representative of the unmarried children who are under the age of 19 objects to a term of an agreement between the spouses;

(2) either of the spouses withdraws from an agreement required under AS 25.24.200(a); or

(3) the petition alleges that the conditions in AS 25.24.200(b) exist, but the whereabouts of the absent spouse becomes known to the other spouse or the court before findings are made.

(e) The court shall deny the relief sought in a petition filed under AS 25.24.200 - 25.24.260 if the court does not make the findings required under (a) - (c) of this section.

(f) If the petition is filed by both spouses under AS 25.24.200(a), the court shall change either spouse’s name, if the spouse seeking a change of name to a name other than a prior name complies with AS 25.24.165(b), and shall fully and specifically set out in the decree the written agreements of the spouses and shall order the performance of those written agreements. The court shall also state, in the decree, whether child support payments are to be made through the child support services agency. If the petition is filed by one spouse under AS 25.24.200(b), the decree must state that it does not bar future action on the issues not resolved in the decree.

(g) Notwithstanding other provisions of AS 25.24.200 - 25.24.260, the court may not award to one spouse real or personal property acquired by the other spouse before the date of the marriage, unless the spouses expressly agree otherwise or the court determines that the property should be made available, by sale or other conveyance, to ensure that the best interests of the children are provided for. If the court determines that the best interests of the children require an award of premarital property, but the spouses do not agree, the court shall dismiss or continue the action.

(h) If a judgment under this section distributes benefits to an alternate payee under AS 14.25, AS 21.51.120(a), AS 21.54.020(c), 21.54.050(c), AS 22.25, AS 26.05.222–26.05.226, or AS 39.35, the judgment must meet the requirements of a qualified domestic relations order under the definition of that phrase that is applicable to those provisions.

(i) For each judgment issued under this section, the court shall include in the records relating to the matter the social security numbers, if ascertainable, of the following persons:

(1) each party to the dissolution of marriage;

(2) each child whose rights are addressed in the judgment.