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The Hawaii Supreme Court upheld today the dismissal of a lawsuit contending that the Office of Hawaiian Affairs should spend trust funds only for individuals with at least 50 percent Hawaiian blood.
OHA, which was created by a 1978 state constitutional amendment, has been helping individuals with at least some Hawaiian blood.
In the 49-page unanimous opinion written by Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald, the high court affirmed the 2011 dismissal of the suit by Samuel L. Kealoha Jr. and three others.
The suit was against the OHA trustees.
The high court’s opinion cited federal court decisions that threw out similar challenges.
