Judiciary | Judicial Selection Commission Press Release – Circuit Judge, Circuit Court of the Fifth Circuit (island of Kauai), State of Hawai’i Nominees (Release Date: 03/20/2026)

Judicial Selection Commission Press Release 03/20/2026

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 judicial office of Circuit Judge, Circuit Court of the Fifth Circuit (island of Kauai), State of Hawaiʻi.  The judicial office became vacant upon the retirement of Circuit Judge Randal G. Valenciano in October 2025.

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

Craig A. De Costa
Michael D. Scarbo
Michael K. Soong
Kimberly A. Torigoe Metcalfe

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

Statistics

Total Applicants: 8; 2 Females; 6 Males
First Time Applicants: 0

Government Attorneys: 4
Private Attorneys: 2
Judges: 1
Per Diem Judges: 1
Other: 1

Age Range: 1 (31-40); 3 (41-50); 3 (51-60); 1 (61-70)

Years Licensed Range: 12 years to 40 years

Additional Information

Days in Recruitment: 90 Days
Three (3) Applicants withdrew before meeting with the Judicial Selection Commission and are not included in the statistics above.
Meeting held and decision made in March 2026 with 5 Commissioners present.

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Judiciary | Notice of Second Extended Deadline for Applications for Judicial Vacancy – District Judge, District Court of the Second Circuit (island of Maui) (Release Date: 03/20/2026)

Judicial Selection Commission Press Release 03/20/2026

The Judicial Selection Commission is re-extending the deadline for applications to fill the following judicial vacancy in the State of Hawaiʻi:

District Judge, District Court of the Second Circuit (island of Maui)

The Constitution of the State of Hawaiʻi requires that the persons selected by the Commission be residents and citizens of the State of Hawaiʻi and of the United States, and have been licensed to practice law by the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court.  A district judge shall have been licensed for a period of not less than five years preceding nomination.  No judge shall, during the term of office, engage in the practice of law, or run for or hold any other office or position of profit under the United States, the State or its political subdivisions.

The term of office of a district judge shall be six years.  The current annual salary in Hawaiʻi of a district judge is $225,828.[1]

Every judge shall reside in the judicial circuit for which the judge is appointed under Section 604-2 of the Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes.

The Chief Justice has the discretion to assign a district judge/district family judge to either the District Court or Family Court as provided under Section 571-8 of the Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes.

Full-time judges also receive employer contributions to premiums for enrollment in the state-sponsored medical, drug, vision and dental plans, a free life insurance policy, state retirement benefits, a deferred compensation supplemental retirement savings plan, 13 paid holidays annually (14 days during election years), 21 vacation and 21 sick leave days per year.  Benefits are subject to modification or termination due to changes in statutes, pertinent rules and regulations.  Judges shall be retired upon attaining the age of seventy years.

The Commission invites anyone from all islands who meets the constitutional requirements and is interested in the position to apply directly to the Commission.

TO APPLY: Please visit the Commission’s website and fill out form JS-P-084, Application for Judicial Office Form.  The application must be postmarked to the address below on or before the re-extended application deadline of June 18, 2026.

Commission Chair Florence T. Nakakuni, Esq.
Judicial Selection Commission
State of Hawaiʻi
417 South King Street
Honolulu, Hawaiʻi 96813

[1]  The salary is current as of the press release date and is subject to change.  The salary is determined by the Commission on Salaries pursuant to Article XVI, Section 3.5, of the Constitution of the State of Hawaiʻi and Section 26-56, of the Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes, and any subsequent action taken by the Legislature.