Gov. David Ige appoints 5 judges to fill circuit court vacancies across Hawaii

Gov. David Ige on Friday announced five judicial appointments to fill vacancies on the 1st Circuit Court on Oahu, 2nd Circuit Court on Maui and 3rd Circuit Court in Kona.

The five appointees were each chosen from lists of nominees submitted to the governor Sept. 13 by the state Judicial Selection Commission. All the appointments are subject to state Senate confirmation.

Three of the five were appointments to the 1st Circuit Court:

>> Clarissa Y. Malinao, a per diem District Court judge since 2019, will fill the vacancy left by the retirement of Judge Edwin C. Nacino in 2020. Malinao is a solo practitioner focusing on criminal law in both state and federal courts. She was recognized in 2020 as Outstanding Pro Bono Attorney Honoree for her work with Volunteer Legal Services of Hawaii. Malinao earned her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Seattle University and her law degree from Whittier Law School in California.

>> Kevin T. Morikone, a District Family Court judge, will fill the vacancy created when former Judge Todd W. Eddins was appointed as associate justice of the Hawaii Supreme Court in 2020. He graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a certificate in ethnic studies, and earned his law degree from UH’s William S. Richardson School of Law. Morikone has practiced in civil litigation and was appointed a per diem Family Court judge in 2015.

>> Shanlyn A. S. Park will fill the seat previously held by Judge Karen T. Nakasone, who was appointed to the Intermediate Court of Appeals in 2020. Park is an attorney in private practice specializing in insurance defense, commercial litigation, contested probate matters and criminal defense. She graduated from Chaminade University with a bachelor’s degree in English and earned her law degree from the William S. Richardson School of Law.

There was a lone appointment to 2nd Circuit Court:

>> Kirstin M. Hamman, a District Court judge on Maui, will fill the seat previously held by Judge Rhonda I. Loo, who retired in May. She previously had her own private practice specializing in family law and special education law. She also was an attorney with the Maui Office of Council Services, the Public Defender’s Office and the Legal Aid Society of Hawaii. Hamman is a graduate of UH West Oahu and the William S. Richardson School of Law.

The fifth judicial appointment was to the 3rd Circuit Court:

>> Wendy M. DeWeese, a District Family Court judge, will fill the seat previously held by Judge Melvin H. Fujino, who retired in 2020. She received a bachelor’s degree from Pomona College in California and her law degree from Southwestern University School of Law.