HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle today released a list of judicial nominees that was provided to her by the Judicial Selection Commission to fill the position of chief judge of the Intermediate Court of Appeals.  Governor Lingle is making the list available to the public to encourage public comment on the nominees.

The list of six nominees is the product 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 for the judicial office of chief judge of the Intermediate Court of Appeals:

• Katherine G. Leonard – Current position: associate judge, Intermediate Court of Appeals.  Prior experience: attorney, Carlsmith Ball LLP; law clerk, Hawai‘i Supreme Court and First Circuit Court.
• Sabrina S. McKenna – Current position: judge, Circuit Court of the First Circuit.  Prior experience: judge, District Court of the First Circuit; assistant professor, University of Hawai‘i William S. Richardson School of Law; instructor in business law, University of Hawai‘i College of Business; corporate secretary and general counsel, Otaka, Inc.; associate, Goodsill Anderson Quinn & Stifel.
• Craig H. Nakamura – Current position:  associate judge, Intermediate Court of Appeals.  Prior experience: assistant United States attorney; adjunct professor, University of Hawai‘i William S. Richardson School of Law; associate, Goodsill Anderson Quinn & Stifel; law clerk, Judge Herbert Choy, U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit.
• Steven M. Nakashima – Current position: partner, Marr Jones & Wang.  Prior experience: district judge, District Court of the First Circuit; associate and partner, Goodsill Anderson Quinn & Stifel; law clerk, U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit; law clerk, attorney general, State of Hawai‘i; law clerk, attorney general, State of Oregon.
• Michael K. Tanigawa – Current position: staff attorney, Intermediate Court of Appeals.  Prior experience: arbitrator, Court Annexed Arbitration Program; attorney, Char Sakamoto Ishii Lum & Ching; adjunct professor; partner, Tanigawa & Tanigawa; Grand Jury Counsel; deputy public defender. 
• Frances Q. F. Wong – Current position: judge, Circuit Court of the First Circuit.  Prior experience: judge, District Family Court; per diem judge, Family Court of the First Circuit; partner, Hall & Wong; associate, Edmunds Hall & Weinberg; associate, Hart Leavitt Hall & Hunt.

The Governor has 30 days from receipt of the list (June 25, 2009) 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 Wednesday, July 8, 2009.

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