Nakasone is named chief judge of Intermediate Court of Appeals

Karen T. Nakasone, associate judge of Hawaii’s Intermediate Court of Appeals, has been named chief judge of Hawaii’s second-highest court by Gov. Josh Green.

Nakasone replaces former ICA Chief Judge Lisa M. Ginoza, who was sworn in as an associate justice of the Hawaii Supreme Court in January 2024.

“It is my pleasure to name Karen as chief judge of the ICA,” Green said Thursday after appointing Nakasone. “Her hard work and stellar track record demonstrate that she has earned the appointment, and the comments of profound support submitted by her peers confirm that she is the right choice.”

Nakasone was sworn in as an associate ICA judge on Nov. 2, 2020.

Former Gov. Neil Abercrombie appointed Nakasone to Oahu’s 1st Circuit Court in 2011 after she served as a trial judge in the Civil and Criminal divisions.

Earlier, Nakasone worked as a criminal trial and appellate lawyer for the state Office of the Public Defender.

A graduate of the Boston University School of Law and Bryn Mawr College, Nakasone also attended the University of Hawaii at Manoa and studied at the University of the Ryukyus in Okinawa, Japan, on an Okinawan prefectural government scholarship from the Hawaii United Okinawa Association. Her high school alma mater is Hawaii Baptist Academy.

“Serving as Chief Judge on the second highest court of the state of Hawai‘i is a tremendous honor, challenge and responsibility,” Nakasone said in a statement. “I am grateful for this opportunity to continue serving the people of Hawai‘i on a court that I care very deeply about. I thank Governor Green for this appointment and look forward to the Senate confirmation process.”

Green has made gender equality on judicial benches a priority in Hawaii’s courts, which now include 41 women and 38 men.