Judicial Selection Commission Press Release – Chief Judge, Intermediate Court of Appeals Nominees

News Release from JSC, Feb 5, 2018

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

The Judicial Selection Commission is pleased to announce a list of nominees for the anticipated judicial vacancy of Chief Judge, Intermediate Court of Appeals, State of Hawaiʻi.  The judicial office will become vacant upon the retirement of Chief Judge Craig H. Nakamura in March 2018.

The list of nominees selected by the Commission to fill the vacancy for the judicial office in the Intermediate Court of Appeals are listed as follows in alphabetical order:

•  Derrick H. M Chan
•  Lisa M. Ginoza
• John M. Tonaki
• Clyde J. Wadsworth

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

Statistics

• Total Applicants:  9; 2 Females; 7 Males
• Government Attorneys:  3
•  Private Attorneys:  3
• Judges:  3
• Age Range:  1 (31-40); 1 (41-50); 6 (51-60); 1 (61-70)

Years Licensed Range:  13 years to 33 years

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GOVERNOR TO CONSIDER NOMINEES TO FILL VACANCIES IN FIRST CIRCUIT COURT AND INTERMEDIATE COURT OF APPEALS

News Release from Office of the Governor, Feb 5, 2018

HONOLULU – Gov. David Ige has received a list of nominees from the Judicial Selection Commission for the vacancy created by the retirement of former Circuit Judge Rhonda A. Nishimura in Aug. 2017 and to fill the anticipated vacancy created by the retirement of Intermediate Court of Appeals Chief Judge Craig H. Nakamura in March 2018.

The commission submitted the list of nominees to the governor today after careful evaluation and investigation into the background and qualifications of each applicant.

The nominees for the Circuit Court of the First Circuit (island of Oʻahu) are:

• James H. Ashford, Judge, District Court of the First Circuit, State of Hawaiʻi
• Karin L. Holma, Managing Partner, Bays Lung Rose & Holma
• Ronald G. Johnson, Assistant United States Attorney, Federal Prosecutor
• James S. Kawashima, District Judge, District Court of the First Circuit
• Summer M.M. Kupau-Odo, Associate Attorney, Earthjustice
• Kevin A.K. Souza, Judge, Family Court of the First Circuit

The nominees for the Intermediate Court of Appeals are:

• Derrick H.M. Chan, Associate Judge, Intermediate Court of Appeals
• Lisa M. Ginoza, Associate Judge, Intermediate Court of Appeals
• John M. Tonaki, Public Defender, State of Hawaiʻi
• Clyde J. Wadsworth, Attorney, Solicitor General of the State of Hawaiʻi

Gov. Ige will interview each nominee and is seeking public comment on the governor’s website: http://governor.hawaii.gov/contact-us/contact-the-governor/.

Gov. Ige has 30 days, or until March 7, 2018 to make his appointments. Both appointments are subject to Senate confirmation.