Applicants Sought for District Family and/or District Court of the Third Circuit (Hawaii Island) Per Diem Judges

News Release from Hawaii Judiciary, Dec 28, 2022

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

Applications for consideration should be submitted by February 01, 2023.

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 Robert D. S. Kim
Keahuolu Courthouse
74-5451 Kamakaeha Avenue
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740

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).

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