For immediate release: September 27, 2023

JUDICIAL SELECTION COMMISSION PRESS RELEASE
ASSOCIATE JUSTICE, SUPREME COURT NOMINEES

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 vacancy of Associate Justice, Supreme Court, State of Hawaiʻi. The judicial office has been vacant since the retirement of Associate Justice Paula A. Nakayama in April 2023.

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

• Vladimir Devens
• Lisa M. Ginoza
• Summer M. M. Kupau-Odo
• Karen T. Nakasone
• Clyde J. Wadsworth

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

Statistics
• Total Applicants: 12; 8 Females; 4 Males
• First Time Applicant: 1

• Government Attorneys: 0
• Private Attorneys: 4
• Judges: 7
• Other: 1

• Age Range: 0 (31-40); 4 (41-50); 6 (51-60); 2 (61-70)

• Years Licensed Range: 17 years to 40 years

Additional Information

• Ms. Kimberly Tsumoto Guidry withdrew her application after the Judicial Selection Commission’s request for public comment but before meeting with the Judicial Selection Commission. Ms. Guidry is not included in the statistics above.
• Meetings held in August and September 2023 and decision made in September 2023 with 7 Commissioners present.