Courts of Appeal and Circuit Court judges are appointed by the Governor to a 10-year term from a list of not less than four and not more than six nominees provided by the Judicial Selection Commission. District Court judges are appointed by the Chief Justice to a 6-year term from a list of not less than four and not more than six nominees provided by the Judicial Selection Commission.

All appointees are subject to the consent of the state Senate. After initial appointment, the Judicial Selection Commission determines whether a judge will be retained in office. A judge may not serve past age 70. See Article VI § 3 & 4 of the Hawai`i Constitution. Below are lists of judges serving in courts statewide:

• Supreme Court Justices
• Intermediate Court of Appeals Judges
• First Circuit (O`ahu) Judges
  • per diem Judges
• Second Circuit (Maui) Judges
  • per diem Judges
• Third Circuit (Hawai`i) Judges
  • per diem Judges
• Fifth Circuit (Kaua`i) Judges
  • per diem Judges

Note: Please do not contact a judge about a pending case. In most circumstances a judge is prohibited from discussing a pending case unless all parties are given notice and an opportunity to be present. Judges are also prohibited from publicly discussing a pending or impending case. See Rules 2.9 and 2.10 of the Hawaii Revised Code of Judicial Conduct (PDF).

Statement from Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald on Diversity in the Judiciary (includes demographic information)

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Notice of Judicial Vacancy

• Notice of Anticipated Judicial Vacancy – District Family Judge, First Circuit (Release Date: 03/04/2022) (Release Date 03/04/2022)

Notice of Petition for Retention

• Notice of Petition for Retention – The Honorable Dean E. Ochiai (Release Date: 05/06/2022) (Release Date 05/06/2022)
• Notice of Petition for Retention – The Honorable Blaine J. Kobayashi (Release Date: 04/14/2022) (Release Date 04/14/2022)
• Notice of Petition for Retention – The Honorable Peter T. Cahill (Release Date: 03/04/2022) (Release Date 03/04/2022)

Nominees/Appointments

• Judicial Selection Commission Press Release – District Family Judge, Third Circuit Nominees (Release Date: 04/25/2022) (Release Date 04/25/2022)
• Judicial Selection Commission Press Release – District Family Judge, Third Circuit Nominees (Release Date: 04/25/2022) (Release Date )
• Judicial Selection Commission Press Release – District Judge, District Court of the Fifth Circuit Nominees (Release Date: 04/25/2022) (Release Date )
• Judicial Selection Commission Press Release – District Judge, District Court of the First Circuit Nominees (Release Date: 02/18/2022) (Release Date 02/18/2022)
• Judicial Selection Commission Press Release – District Family Judge, First Circuit Nominees (Release Date: 02/18/2022) (Release Date )