GOVERNOR LINGLE SEEKS PUBLIC COMMENTS ON NOMINEES FOR THREE CIRCUIT COURT JUDGES

HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle today released three lists of nominees for three circuit court judges that were provided to her by the Judicial Selection Commission.   The nominees, some of whom are on more than one list, will fill three vacancies on the Circuit Court of the First Circuit which covers the island of O‘ahu.  The Governor is inviting the public to submit comments on the nominees as part of her review and selection process.

The three lists of six nominees each are the products of the Judicial Selection Commission’s review of the background and qualifications of all applicants and its evaluation of each applicant. The Commission does not rank the candidates. 

Nominees to fill a vacancy in the Circuit Court of the First Circuit (O‘ahu)

Jeanette Holmes Castagnetti – Current position: per diem judge, District Court of the First Circuit; attorney, Bronster, Hoshibata.  Prior experience: deputy prosecuting attorney, Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, Honolulu; law clerk, Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, Career Criminal Division, Honolulu.

Colette Y. Garibaldi – Current position:  district judge, District Court of the First Circuit.  Prior experience:  Per diem district judge, District Court of the First Circuit; deputy prosecuting attorney, Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, Honolulu; contract attorney, law clerk, Koshiba & Young; law clerk, Los Angeles County Municipal Courts, Planning and Research Unit.

Karen T. Nakasone – Current position: deputy public defender, Office of the Public Defender.  Prior experience: law clerk, Intermediate Court of Appeals, Associate Judge Simeon Acoba.

Dean E. Ochiai – Current position: vice president and managing attorney, First Insurance Company of Hawai‘i, Ltd.  Prior experience: deputy corporation counsel, Corporation Counsel, Honolulu; Damon Key Char & Bocken Law Firm; deputy prosecuting attorney, Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, Honolulu; administrative assistant, whip clerk, State Representative Brian Taniguchi.

Faauuga L. To‘oto‘o – Current position: district court judge, District Court of the First Circuit.  Prior experience: deputy prosecutor, Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, Honolulu.

Bode A. Uale – Current position: district family judge; Family Court of the First Circuit.  Prior experience: per diem judge district family judge; Family Court of the First Circuit; Law Office of Joseph P. H. Ahuna; deputy public defender, Office of the Public Defender; extern, Judge Wendell Huddy.

Nominees to fill a vacancy in the Circuit Court of the First Circuit (O‘ahu)

Jeanette Holmes Castagnetti – Current position: per diem judge, District Court of the First Circuit; attorney, Bronster Hoshibata.  Prior experience: deputy prosecuting attorney, Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, Honolulu; law clerk, Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, Career Criminal Division, Honolulu.

Colette Y. Garibaldi – Current position:  district judge, District Court of the First Circuit.  Prior experience:  Per diem district judge, District Court of the First Circuit; deputy prosecuting attorney, Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, Honolulu; contract attorney, law clerk, Koshiba & Young; law clerk, Los Angeles County Municipal Courts, Planning and Research Unit.

Karen T. Nakasone – Current position: deputy public defender, Office of the Public Defender.  Prior experience: law clerk, Intermediate Court of Appeals, Associate Judge Simeon Acoba.

Dean E. Ochiai – Current position: vice president and managing attorney, First Insurance Company of Hawai‘i, Ltd.  Prior experience: deputy corporation counsel, Corporation Counsel, Honolulu; Damon Key Char & Bocken Law Firm; deputy prosecuting attorney, Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, Honolulu; administrative assistant, whip clerk, State Representative Brian Taniguchi.

Faauuga L. To‘oto‘o – Current position: district court judge, District Court of the First Circuit.  Prior experience: deputy prosecutor, Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, Honolulu.

Bode A. Uale – Current position: district family judge; Family Court of the First Circuit.  Prior experience: per diem judge district family judge; Family Court of the First Circuit; Law Office of Joseph P. H. Ahuna; deputy public defender, Office of the Public Defender; extern, Judge Wendell Huddy.

Nominees to fill a vacancy in the Circuit Court of the First Circuit (O‘ahu)

Jeanette Holmes Castagnetti – Current position: per diem judge, District Court of the First Circuit; attorney, Bronster Hoshibata.  Prior experience: deputy prosecuting attorney, Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, Honolulu; law clerk, Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, Career Criminal Division, Honolulu.

Colette Y. Garibaldi – Current position:  district judge, District Court of the First Circuit.  Prior experience:  Per diem district judge, District Court of the First Circuit; deputy prosecuting attorney, Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, Honolulu; contract attorney, law clerk, Koshiba & Young; law clerk, Los Angeles County Municipal Courts, Planning and Research Unit.

Lanson K. Kupau – Current position: partner, Kobayashi Sugita & Goda.  Prior experience: attorney, Reinwald O’Conner & Playdon; deputy public defender, Office of the Public Defender.

Dean E. Ochiai – Current position: vice president and managing attorney, First Insurance Company of Hawai‘i, Ltd.  Prior experience: deputy corporation counsel, Corporation Counsel, Honolulu; Damon Key Char & Bocken Law Firm; deputy prosecuting attorney, Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, Honolulu; administrative assistant, whip clerk, State Representative Brian Taniguchi.

Catherine H. Remigio – Current position: per diem district judge, District Court of the First Circuit; partner, Bryant & Remigio.  Prior experience: Grand Jury counsel; associate, Stirling & Kleintop; deputy public defender, Office of the Public Defender; associate, Endeman, Lincoln, Turek & Heater; law clerk, Judge Eden Elizabeth; law clerk, Judge Thomas Kaulukukui, Jr.

Bode A. Uale – Current position: district family judge; Family Court of the First Circuit.  Prior experience: per diem judge district family judge; Family Court of the First Circuit; Law Office of Joseph P. H. Ahuna; deputy public defender, Office of the Public Defender; extern, Judge Wendell Huddy.

The Governor has 30 days from receipt of the list (June 21, 2010) to make her selection.

Public comments on the nominees may be sent via e-mail to Governor.Lingle@hawaii.gov or by fax at 808-586-0006.  All comments should be submitted by the close of business on Monday, July 12, 2010.

####