Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald on Monday invited public comment on six nominees for a vacancy at the Oahu District Family Court. The vacancy opened with the appointment of Judge Catherine Remigio to Oahu Circuit Court.
The names submitted by the Judicial Selection Commission are:
>> Jessi L.K. Hall, currently employed with Kleintop & Luria, LLP. Hall is a graduate of Oklahoma City University School of Law and was admitted to the Hawaii State Bar in 1999.
>> Timothy E. Ho, the state’s chief deputy public defender. Ho is a graduate of the University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law and was admitted to the state bar in 1987.
>> Ronald G. Johnson, an assistant U.S. attorney for Hawaii. Johnson is a graduate of the UH law school and was admitted to the state bar in 1987.
>> Summer M.M. Kupau-Odo, associate attorney with Earthjustice, an environmental organization. Kupau-Odo is a graduate of the UH law school and was admitted to the Hawaii bar in 2004.
>> Kevin T. Morikone, a partner in the firm of Hosoda & Morikone who serves as per diem judge of the District Family Court. Morikone, a UH law school graduate, was admitted to the bar in 2007.
>> Alvin K. Nishimura, who has his own practice and serves as a per diem district judge. Nishimura is a graduate of the UH law school and joined the bar in 1985.
Written comments on the nominees may be sent to Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald, Supreme Court of Hawaii, 417 S. King St., Honolulu, HI 96813, or by fax or email to 539-4703 or chiefjustice@courts.hawaii.gov. The deadline is Oct. 13.
All comments will be kept confidential. The individual selected by the chief justice must be confirmed by the state Senate.
Hawaii Island
Maui, Hawaii counties highest in noncompliant sex offenders
HILO >> Maui and Hawaii counties have the worst compliance records for the sex offender registry, according to figures from the attorney general’s Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center.
As of Sept. 11, Maui had a noncompliance count of 64 out of 297 offenders, or 21.5 percent.
On Hawaii island, 73 of 402 offenders — 18 percent — weren’t in compliance with state law, the Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported.
Laureen Uwaine, assistant administrator at the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center, said offenders must report to police yearly within the 30 days following their birthday. In addition, a verification form is mailed to each offender’s address of record every 90 days, which must be filled out and returned.
Hawaii County Prosecutor Mitch Roth said the number of offenders who aren’t following rules is very concerning.
The City and County of Honolulu, which has about five times the Big Island’s population, had 176 noncompliant offenders out of 1,441 overall, or 12.2 percent.
Kauai County had the lowest noncompliance rate among the counties, with only five offenders deemed noncompliant of 135 individuals required to register, or 3.7 percent.
Despite Hawaii County’s high rate of noncompliance, arrests and prosecutions of noncompliant sex offenders are relatively rare.
Since Jan. 1, 2014, only 14 people have been arrested and charged for noncompliance with registry requirements in Hawaii County, according to police booking logs compiled by the Tribune-Herald.
Noncompliance with sex offender registry requirements is a felony punishable by up to five years imprisonment.
Kauai
Days of high temperatures set or tie records in Lihue
High temperature records continued to be set or tied last week in Lihue, according to the National Weather Service.
On Friday and Saturday, the high temperatures of 88 tied the records for those dates, both set in 1981.
On Thursday, the high of 89 broke the old record of 88, set in 1981. On Wednesday, the high of 88 tied the record for the date, also set in 1981.
On Sept. 24, the high of 88 tied the record set last year.
