Front row, left: Daylin-Rose Heather, Judge Melanie May, Estrella Gazman, Robert Soto, Nicholas Pregill. Second row, left: Kendrik Wong, Rochelle Leonard, Benjamin Leider, Lydia Grasso, John Hausler, Matthew Stubenberg, Carrie Ann Shirota, Taryn Tomasa, Eddie Aquino, Sat Freedman, Voltaire Gansit, Phil Higdon, Judge Michelle Comeau, Sheryl Lynch, Evelyne Luk, and Sergio Alcubilla.

Bench Warrant Recall and Expungement Clinic A Success

News release from Hawaii Judiciary, Oct 11, 2024

WAIʻANAE, Hawaiʻi — Hawaiʻi State Judiciary judges and staff spent a Saturday afternoon at the Waiʻanae Public Library helping qualified individuals seeking assistance with bench warrant and penal summons recalls in traffic and petty misdemeanor cases. They processed a total of 46 ex-parte motions prepared by the Office of the Public Defender, assigning new hearing dates for individuals seeking assistance at the clinic.

According to the Hawaiʻi Workers Center, 72 people were helped by volunteer attorneys to initiate expungement of criminal arrest records as well. In total, over 100 people visited this first-of-its-kind clinic held on Sept. 28.

“People were lined up when the doors opened,” said First Circuit Deputy Chief Judge Melanie May, one of the primary organizers of the event for the Judiciary, along with Deputy Chief Court Administrator Michelle Acosta. “We expected those living on the west side of Oʻahu, but people came from all over the island. Those who took advantage of the services offered were tremendously appreciative.”

“My deepest gratitude to Judge May for continuing to seek ways to enable access to justice for our community and for recognizing the challenges facing individuals with outstanding District Court bench warrants,” said Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald. “I also want to thank Judge Michelle Comeau, Judge Tracy Fukui, Deputy Administrative Director of the Courts Daylin-Rose Heather, Evelyne Luk, Robert Soto, Estrella Gazmen, John Hausler, and Rochelle Leonard for volunteering to help with processing the recalls and coordinating new hearing dates with the individuals.

“This community service event would not have been possible without the Office of the Public Defender, the Hawaiʻi Criminal Justice Data Center, William S. Richardson School of Law, Hawaiʻi Workers Center, ACLU Hawaii, Project e4, Volunteer Legal Services Hawaiʻi, and our host, the Waiʻanae Public Library. Mahalo to all of them,” he added.

Learn more here.

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