Chief Justice Seeks Public Comment on Judicial Nominees

News Release from Hawaii Judiciary, Feb 18, 2022

HONOLULU – Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald announced today that he is seeking public comment on judicial nominees for one position each in the District Court and District Family Court of the First Circuit, island of Oahu.

The names submitted for these vacancies by the Judicial Selection Commission, in alphabetical order, are:

Russ S. Awakuni
Mr. Awakuni is currently employed with the Legal Aid Society of Hawaii. He is a graduate of Loyola Law School, and was admitted to the Hawaii State Bar in 1993.

Harvey M. Demetrakopoulos
Mr. Demetrakopoulos is currently employed with Shim & Chang, AAL, ALC. He is a graduate of the University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law, and was admitted to the Hawaii State Bar in 1989.

Timothy E. Ho
Mr. Ho is currently employed with Imanaka Asato, LLLC, and serves as a Per Diem Judge in the District Court of the First Circuit. He is a graduate of the University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law, and was admitted to the Hawaii State Bar in 1987.

Chastity T. Imamura
Ms. Imamura is currently employed with the Office of Dispute Resolution, Department of the Attorney General. She is a graduate of the University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law, and was admitted to the Hawaii State Bar in 2002.

Simeona L.L.A. Mariano
Ms. Mariano is currently employed as a Deputy Attorney General with the Department of the Attorney General. She is a graduate of the University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law, and was admitted to the Hawaii State Bar in 2004.

Dyan K. Mitsuyama
Ms. Mitsuyama is currently employed with Mitsuyama & Rebman, LLLC, and serves as a Per Diem Judge in the District Court of the First Circuit. She is a graduate of Gonzaga University School of Law, and was admitted to the Hawaii State Bar in 1998.

John A. Montalbano
Mr. Montalbano is currently on temporary active duty with the Ninth Mission Support Command, Office of the Staff Judge Advocate, and serves as a Per Diem Judge in the District Court of the First Circuit. He is a graduate of Golden Gate University School of Law, and was admitted to the Hawaii State Bar in 2001.

Steven R. Nichols
Mr. Nichols is currently employed as a Deputy Public Defender with the Office of the Public Defender. He is a graduate of the University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law, and was admitted to the Hawaii State Bar in 2002.

Shellie K. Park-Hoapili
Ms. Park-Hoapili is currently employed with the Supreme Court of Hawaii. She is a graduate of the University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law, and was admitted to the Hawaii State Bar in 2003.

Natasha R. Shaw
Ms. Shaw is currently employed with the Law Office of Natasha R. Shaw, LLLC and serves as a Per Diem Judge in the District Family Court of the First Circuit. She is a graduate of Stetson University College of Law, and was admitted to the Hawaii State Bar in 2010.

Scott M. Spallina
Mr. Spallina is currently employed as a Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney with the Department of Prosecuting Attorney, City & County of Honolulu. He is a graduate of the University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law, and was admitted to the Hawaii State Bar in 1995.

Rochelle I. Vidinha (Cusumano)
Ms. Vidinha is currently employed as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney with the Department of Prosecuting Attorney, City and County of Honolulu. She is a graduate of the University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law, and was admitted to the Hawaii State Bar in 2001.

The Chief Justice has the discretion to assign judges to the district or district family court calendar. Comments about the qualifications and character of any of the nominees with regard to either calendar assignment may be sent, in writing, to:

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

Fax: (808) 539-4703
Email: chiefjustice@courts.hawaii.gov

Comments should be postmarked, emailed, faxed, or hand delivered no later than Tuesday, March 1, 2022. All comments will be kept confidential.

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District Judge, District Court of the First Circuit Nominees

News Release from Judicial Selection Commission,  Feb 18, 2022

Under the Constitution of the State of Hawaiʻi, Article VI, Appointment of Justices and Judges, Section 3: “The chief justice, with the consent of the senate, shall fill a vacancy in the district courts by appointing a person from a list of not less than six nominees for the vacancy presented by the judicial selection commission.”

The Judicial Selection Commission is pleased to announce a list of nominees for the judicial office of District Judge of the First Circuit (island of Oʻahu), State of Hawaiʻi.  The judicial office has been vacant since the retirement of District Judge Michael K. Tanigawa in May 2021.

The list of nominees selected by the Commission to fill the vacancy for the judicial office of District Judge of the First Circuit are listed as follows in alphabetical order:

Russ S. Awakuni
Harvey M. Demetrakopoulos
Timothy E. Ho
Dyan K. Mitsuyama
John Alberto Montalbano
Steven R. Nichols
Shellie K. Park-Hoapili
Rochelle I. Vidinha (Cusumano)

The Chief Justice has 30 days from his receipt of the list today to make his appointment.

Statistics

Total Applicants:  29; 14 Females; 15 Males
Government Attorneys:  12
Private Attorneys:  14
Per Diem Judges:  7
Other Occupation:  3
Age Range:  1 (31-40); 14 (41-50); 14 (51-60); 0 (61-70)
Years Licensed Range:  11 years to 34 years

**Meetings held and decisions made in February 2022 with 9 Commissioners present

3 Applicants withdrew before meeting with the Judicial Selection Commission and are not included in the statistics above

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District Family Judge, First Circuit Nominees

News Release from Judicial Selection Commission,  Feb 18, 2022

Under the Constitution of the State of Hawaiʻi, Article VI, Appointment of Justices and Judges, Section 3: “The chief justice, with the consent of the senate, shall fill a vacancy in the district courts by appointing a person from a list of not less than six nominees for the vacancy presented by the judicial selection commission.”

The Judicial Selection Commission is pleased to announce a list of nominees for the new judicial office of District Family Judge, First Circuit (island of Oʻahu), State of Hawaiʻi formed by the 2019 Legislature under Act 38, Session Laws of Hawaiʻi.

The list of nominees selected by the Commission to fill the judicial office of District Family Judge, First Circuit are listed as follows in alphabetical order:

Chastity T. Imamura
Simeona L. L. A. Mariano
Dyan K. Mitsuyama
Natasha R. Shaw
Scott M. Spallina
Rochelle I. Vidinha (Cusumano)

The Chief Justice has 30 days from his receipt of the list today to make his appointment.

Statistics

Total Applicants:  22; 12 Females; 10 Males
Government Attorneys:  10
Private Attorneys:  11
Per Diem Judges:  6
Other Occupation:  0
Age Range:  3 (31-40); 9 (41-50); 8 (51-60); 2 (61-70)
Years Licensed Range:  10 years to 32 years

**Meetings held and decisions made in August 2020 with 6 Commissioners present.

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Additional Judicial Selection Comm News Releases Feb 18, 2022

Notice of Petition for Retention – The Honorable Michelle Kanani Laubach (Release Date: 02/18/2022) (Release Date 02/18/2022)

Notice of Extended Deadline for Applications for Judicial Vacancy – Circuit Judge, Circuit Court of the Second Circuit (Release Date: 02/18/2022) (Release Date 02/18/2022)

Notice of Extended Deadline for Applications for Judicial Vacancy – District Judge, District Court of the Second Circuit (Release Date: 02/18/2022) (Release Date 02/18/2022)