Todd Eddins unanimously confirmed to Hawaii Supreme Court

The newest member of the Hawaii Supreme Court started and ended his education in Hawaii public schools — first at Enchanted Lake Elementary in Kailua and finally at the University of Hawaii law school, where Todd W. Eddins later returned to teach as an adjunct professor.

Eddins began in the state Public Defender’s Office, where he worked from 1992 to 2004, and later in private practice for 13 years, famously successfully defending then-Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi from corruption charges in 2016.

After he was appointed as a Circuit Court judge in 2017, Eddins presided over more than 80 felony jury trials and 26 domestic violence jury trials while filling in as a substitute associate justice on Hawaii’s highest court, according to state Sen. Karl Rhoads, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which questioned Eddins for nearly three hours Monday.

On Thursday the state Senate confirmed Eddins to become Hawaii’s newest associate Supreme Court justice with a unanimous vote of all 25 senators, including two who voted with reservations.

Following Eddins’ confirmation, the Senate unanimously confirmed the appointment of Deputy Public Defender Stephanie R.S. Char as a 5th Circuit Family Court judge on Kauai.

Eddins, 56, will serve a 10-year term on Hawaii’s highest court, which comprises four associate justices and Chief Judge Mark Recktenwald. The court has a mandatory retirement age of 70.

After Senate President Ron Kouchi announced his confirmation in the Senate chamber, Rhoads introduced Eddins, his wife and the two youngest of his four children via video.

“I’m pleased to introduce our new associate justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Todd Eddins,” Rhoads said, followed by applause from senators.

As they had in Wednesday’s Judiciary Committee vote, Sens. Mike Gabbard (D, Makakilo-Kapolei) and Kurt Fevella (R, Ewa Beach- Iroquois Point) voted to confirm Eddins with reservations.

In between Enchanted Lake Elementary and UH’s William S. Richardson School of Law, Eddins graduated from Hawai‘i Baptist Academy and the College of William &Mary in Williamsburg, Va.

Last month Gov. David Ige nominated Eddins to replace associate Justice Richard Pollack, who retired in July after reaching the court’s mandatory retirement age.

The senators also unanimously confirmed Char, who had been appointed to Kauai’s Family Court by Recktenwald. She has been serving as a supervising deputy public defender while managing her own caseload, Rhoads told the Senate.

Since 2003 Char has spent her legal career as a public defender, primarily on Kauai. She has been a member of the Kauai Criminal Defense Bar, the Kauai Economic Opportunity Advisory Board for Mediation Program and the Hawai‘i State Board of Continuing Legal Education.

Char graduated from Kapaa High School and received her undergraduate and master’s degrees from the University of Denver and her law degree from the University of San Diego Law School.