The Judicial Selection Commission has announced the nominees for the position of Circuit Judge in the Circuit Court of the First Circuit on the island of Oʻahu, Hawaii. This vacancy arose following the retirement of Circuit Judge Shanlyn A. S. Park in September 2024.
According to Article VI, Section 3 of the State of Hawaiʻi Constitution, "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 selected by the Commission are Russ S. Awakuni, Lance D. Collins, Harvey M. Demetrakopoulos, Timothy E. Ho, Karin L. Holma, and Rochelle I. Vidinha (Cusumano). The Governor has 30 days from receiving this list to make an appointment.
The selection process involved reviewing applications from 21 candidates: six females and fifteen males. Among these applicants were ten government attorneys, nine private attorneys, two judges, and four per diem judges. Three individuals applied for such a position for their first time.
Applicants ranged in age from 31 to over 70 years old and had been licensed for between 11 and 38 years. The recruitment process took 180 days; two applicants withdrew before meeting with the Judicial Selection Commission.
The final decision was made during meetings held in March 2025 with seven commissioners present.