Supreme Court of Hawaii
The Supreme Court of Hawaii is the highest court of the State of Hawaii in the United States. Its decisions are binding on all other courts of the Hawaii State Judiciary. The principal purpose of the Supreme Court is to review the decisions of the trial courts in which appeals have been granted. Appeals are decided by the members of the Supreme Court based on written records and in some cases may grant oral arguments in the main Supreme Court chamber. Like its mainland United States counterparts, the Supreme Court does not take evidence and uses only evidence provided in previous trials.
Hawaii Supreme Court | |
---|---|
ʻAha Hoʻokolokolo Kiʻekiʻe o Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian) | |
Seal of the Hawaii Supreme Court | |
Established | 1841 |
Location | Honolulu, Hawaii |
Composition method | Governor nomination with Senate confirmation |
Authorized by | Haw. Const. art. VI, § 2. |
Appeals to | Supreme Court of the United States |
Judge term length | 10 years |
Number of positions | 5 |
Website | Hawaii Supreme Court |
Chief Justice | |
Currently | Mark E. Recktenwald |
Since | September 14, 2010 |
Lead position ends | September 13, 2020 |
Hawai'i State Judiciary |
Supreme Court |
The court meets in Aliʻiōlani Hale in Honolulu.
Functions
The Hawaii State Supreme Court has original jurisdiction to answer questions of law that have been passed to it from trial courts or the federal court, hear civil cases submitted to the Supreme Court on agreed statements of facts, and decide questions coming from proceedings of writs of mandamus, prohibition, and habeas corpus.[1]
Justices
The Supreme Court consists of five justices[2][3] who are initially appointed to ten-year terms by the Governor of Hawaii, who makes his or her nomination from a list of four to six candidates from the Hawaii Judicial Selection Commission.[4] The Governor's nominee is subject to confirmation by the Hawaii State Senate.[5] Candidates must be U.S. citizens, Hawaii residents, and have been licensed to practice law for at least 10 years prior to nomination.[6] The Judicial Selection Commission can opt to retain incumbent justices for additional ten-year terms.[7] All justices must retire at 70 years of age.[8]
As of December 11, 2020, the five Justices are:
Justice | Born | Joined Court | Appointed by | Law school | Term expires |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mark E. Recktenwald, Chief Justice | October 8, 1955 | May 11, 2009 (As associate Justice) September 14, 2010 (as Chief) |
Linda Lingle (R) | Chicago | September 13, 2030[9] |
Paula A. Nakayama | October 19, 1953 | April 22, 1993 | John D. Waiheʻe III (D) | Hastings | April 21, 2023 |
Sabrina McKenna | October 7, 1957 | March 3, 2011 | Neil Abercrombie (D) | Hawaii | March 2, 2021 |
Michael D. Wilson | 1953/1954 (age 66–67) | April 17, 2014 | Neil Abercrombie (D) | Antioch | April 16, 2024 |
Todd W. Eddins | 1964/1965 (age 55–56) | December 11, 2020 | David Ige (D) | Hawaii | December 10, 2030 |
See also
- Hawaii State Judiciary
- Courts of Hawaii
References
- Haw. Rev. Stat. § 602-5. Retrieved 2014 December 18.
- Haw. Const. art. VI, § 2. Retrieved 2014 December 18.
- Haw. Rev. Stat. § 602-1. Retrieved 2014 December 18.
- Haw. Const. art. VI, § 3. Retrieved 2014 December 18.
- Id.
- Id.
- Id.
- Id.
- "Hawaii Supreme Court Justices". Hawai'i State Judiciary. Hawai'i State Judiciary. Retrieved 19 December 2020.