First Circuit Court Judge Richard Perkins was named the Hawaii State Judiciary’s 2015 Jurist of the Year.

Perkins received the award Oct. 2 at the 2015 Statewide Incentive Awards Ceremony.

Perkins was selected by Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald from nominations submitted by Hawaii attorneys and Judiciary personnel.

In addition to being an outstanding trial judge, mentor, and leader, Judge Perkins has played an important part in shaping Hawaii’s Rules of Penal Procedure, having served as Chair of both the Permanent Committee on Rules of Penal Procedure and Circuit Court Criminal Rules and the Committee on Pattern Criminal Jury Instructions almost the entire span of his judicial career, according to a statement from the state judiciary.

Perkins was instrumental as a member of the committee that reviewed Hawaii’s Penal Code ten years ago, and is again serving on the committee tasked with reviewing it this year.