Hawaii chief justice discloses nominees for district court seats

Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald has made public the names of candidates the Judicial Selection Commission has proposed for three district judgeships on Oahu and a fourth on Kauai.

The chief justice set March 18 as the deadline for written comments from the public on the candidates.

Abercrombie has said disclosure would discourage potential applicants if they knew their bids might be made public.

Under the state Constitution, the governor selects judges and justices from lists submitted by the commission to the circuit, appeals and supreme courts. The chief justice picks district judges from commission lists.

Recktenwald's appointments will be his first since he became chief justice in September. His office previously indicated that he would follow the practice of his predecessor, Ronald Moon, who released the names and sought public comment.

All judicial appointments are subject to Senate approval.

The candidates submitted for three Honolulu district judgeships are:

Paula Devens, Shirley M. Kawamura, Lanson K. Kupau, Linda S. Martell, Melanie Mito May, Trish K. Morikawa, Karen T. Nakasone, Dean E. Ochiai, Maura M. Okamoto, David A. Pendleton, Catherine H. Remigio, G. Gary Singh, Renee Sonobe Hong, Kevin A. Souza, Paul B.K. Wong and Wayson W.S. Wong.

The names for the judgeship in Kauai's Family Court are:

Edmund D. Acoba, Russell K.M.K. Goo, Daniel G. Hempey, Joseph N. Kobayashi, Alvin K. Nishimura and Sara L. Silverman.

Written comments on the qualifications and character of the candidates will be confidential, according to the state Judiciary.