Applicants Sought for District Family and/or District Court of the Fifth Circuit (Kauai) Per Diem Judges

News Release from Hawaii Judiciary, Dec 15, 2021

LIHUE, HI – The District Family and/or District Court of the Fifth Circuit is accepting applications from attorneys interested in serving as per diem judges.

Applications for consideration should be submitted by January 07, 2022.

An original and three copies of completed applications may be mailed or hand-delivered to:

Committee to Evaluate Qualifications of Per Diem Judges
ATTN: Chief Judge Randal G.B. Valenciano
3970 Kaana Street
Lihue, Hawaii 96766

An additional copy must be mailed or hand delivered directly to the Chief Justice:

Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald
Supreme Court of Hawaii
417 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96813

Pursuant to Article VI, Section 3 of the Hawaii State Constitution, applicants must be residents and citizens of the state and of the United States, and must have been licensed to practice law by the Supreme Court of Hawaii for a period of not less than five years preceding nomination. Please be advised that the Commission on Judicial Conduct has indicated in a formal opinion that any per diem judge and his/her partners and associates may not practice in the court to which the per diem judge is assigned. Furthermore, pursuant to the Hawai`i State Constitution, government employees (federal, state, or county) are disqualified from serving as per diem judges. Additionally, once appointed, per diem judges are prohibited from holding other public positions for profit (e.g., teaching at the William S. Richardson School of Law).

Per diem judges are part-time judges appointed by the Chief Justice on an “as needed basis” to preside in the District Court.

After receiving instructions and filling out the application form, nominees are interviewed by the Committee to Evaluate Qualifications of Per Diem Judges and upon selection, an order of appointment must be filed. After taking the oath of office, per diem judges are ready for assignments.

During their term of service, per diem judges can still engage in the private practice of law subject to the limitations set forth above. Compensation is received only for the days which actual service is rendered based on the monthly rate of compensation paid to a District Court judge. See HRS section 604-2(b).

For more information, contact the Communications and Community Relations Office at 808-539-4909 or via email at pao@courts.hawaii.gov.

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Notice of Extended Deadline for Applications for Judicial Vacancy – District Judge, District Court of the Fifth Circuit (Release Date: 12/17/2021)

JSC Press Release, Dec 17, 2021

The Judicial Selection Commission is extending the deadline for accepting applications to fill the judicial vacancy in the State of Hawaiʻi:

District Judge, District Court of the Fifth Circuit (island of Kauai)

The Constitution of the State of Hawaiʻi requires that the persons selected by the Commission be residents and citizens of the State of Hawaiʻi and of the United States, and have been licensed to practice law by the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court. A district judge shall have been licensed for a period of not less than five years preceding nomination. No judge shall, during the term of office, engage in the practice of law, or run for or hold any other office or position of profit under the United States, the State or its political subdivisions.

The term of office of a district judge shall be six years. The annual salary in Hawaiʻi of a district judge is $197,280.

The Chief Justice has the discretion to assign a district judge/district family judge to either the District Court or Family Court as provided under Section 571-8 of the Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes.

Full-time judges also receive employer contributions to premiums for enrollment in the state-sponsored medical, drug, vision and dental plans, a free life insurance policy, state retirement benefits, a deferred compensation supplemental retirement savings plan, 13 paid holidays annually (14 days during election years), 21 vacation and 21 sick leave days per year. Benefits are subject to modification or termination due to changes in statutes, pertinent rules and regulations. Judges shall be retired upon attaining the age of seventy years.

The Commission invites anyone who meets the constitutional requirements and is interested in the position to apply directly to the Commission.

Applicants:

Prior to submitting your application, submit a letter with a contact phone number and an e-mail address specifying the vacancy for which you are applying.

TO APPLY: Please visit the Commission’s website and fill out form JS-P-084, Application for Judicial Office Form. The application must be postmarked to the address below on or before the extended application deadline of Tuesday, February 15, 2022.

Commission Chair Nadine Y. Ando, Esq. 
Judicial Selection Commission
State of Hawaii 
417 South King Street 
Honolulu, Hawaiʻi 96813