The Judicial Selection Commission has released a list of nominees for the judicial vacancy in the Circuit Court of the First Circuit, located on the island of Oʻahu, Hawai'i. This vacancy arose following the retirement of Circuit Judge Shanlyn A. S. Park in September 2024.
Under Hawaiʻi's Constitution, specifically Article VI, Section 3, it is stated: “The governor, with the consent of the senate, shall fill a vacancy in the office of the chief justice, supreme court, intermediate appellate court and circuit courts, by appointing a person from a list of not less than four, and not more than six, nominees for the vacancy, presented to the governor by the judicial selection commission.”
The nominees for this position are Russ S. Awakuni, Lance D. Collins, Harvey M. Demetrakopoulos, Timothy E. Ho, Karin L. Holma, and Rochelle I. Vidinha (Cusumano). The Governor has been given 30 days from receiving this list to make an appointment.
In terms of statistics regarding applicants for this position: there were a total of 21 applicants comprising 6 females and 15 males. Among them were three first-time applicants. The breakdown includes ten government attorneys, nine private attorneys, two judges currently serving full-time roles and four per diem judges.
Applicants' ages range from one individual between 31-40 years old; nine individuals between 41-50; six between 51-60; and five aged between 61-70 years old. Their experience ranges from being licensed for as few as eleven years to as many as thirty-eight years.
The recruitment process spanned over a period of approximately six months—180 days—with meetings held and decisions made in March 2025 when seven commissioners were present at these sessions.
Two candidates withdrew prior to meeting with members of the Judicial Selection Commission thus their details do not feature within aforementioned statistics.