GOVERNOR LINGLE RELEASES NOMINATION LISTS FOR CHIEF JUDGE OF THE INTERMEDIATE COURT OF APPEALS AND CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE

For Immediate Release: January 19, 2007

HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle today released two lists of judicial nominees that were provided to her by the Judicial Selection Commission to fill the position of chief judge of the Intermediate Court of Appeals and a vacancy on the Circuit Court of the First Circuit (O‘ahu).  The vacant positions are being created by the retirement of Intermediate Court of Appeals Chief Judge James Burns and Circuit Court Judge Marcia Waldorf.

As she has done since first taking office, Governor Lingle is making the lists available to the public prior to making the appointments in order to maintain openness in her Administration and to encourage public comment on the nominees. 

The two lists of six nominees each are the products of the Judicial Selection Commission’s review of the background and qualifications of all applicants and its evaluation of each applicant. The Commission does not rank the candidates. 

Nominees to fill the vacancy of Chief Judge of the Intermediate Court of Appeals:

Daniel R. Foley  – Current position:  associate judge, Intermediate Court of Appeals.  Prior experience:  partner, Partington & Foley; legal director, ACLU Hawai‘i; adjunct professor of civil rights, University of Hawai‘i; legal counsel to various Micronesian government bodies; solo practice; associate, Carrow Jones Applen & Forest (California).

Katherine G. Leonard  – Current position: attorney, Carlsmith Ball LLP; American Judicature Society.  Prior experience: law clerk, Hawai‘i Supreme Court and First Circuit Court.

Sabrina S. McKenna  – Current position: judge, Circuit Court of the First Circuit.  Prior Experience: judge, District Court of the First Circuit; assistant professor of law, University of Hawai‘i William S. Richardson School of Law; instructor in business law, University of Hawai‘i College of Business; corporate secretary and general counsel, Otaka, Inc.; associate, Goodsill Anderson Quinn & Stiffel.

Mark E. Recktenwald  – Current position: director, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.  Prior experience: assistant United States attorney; partner, Marr Hipp Jones & Wang; associate, Goodsill Anderson Quinn & Stiffel; law clerk, U.S. District Court Chief Judge Harold Fong.

Michael K. Tanigawa  – Current position: director, Char Sakamoto Ishii Lum & Ching; Prior experience: partner, Tanigawa & Tanigawa; adjunct professor, University of Hawai‘i William S. Richardson School of Law; Office of the Public Defender.

Frances Q. F. Wong  – Current position: judge, Circuit Court of the First Circuit.  Prior experience: judge, District Family Court; private practice.

Nominees to fill the vacancy of the Circuit Court of the First Circuit (O‘ahu):

Cecelia C. Y. Chang  – Current position: special assistant United States attorney; Department of the Prosecuting Attorney.  Prior experience: Goodsill Anderson Quinn & Stiffel; Department of the Corporation Counsel; law clerk, Circuit Judge Robert Chang.

Sherri-Ann L. Iha  – Current position: deputy prosecuting attorney.

Glenn J. Kim  – Current position: deputy prosecuting attorney.  Prior experience: law clerk, Chief Justice Ronald Moon.

Peter T. Stone  – Current position: solo practice; per diem judge, District Court.  Prior experience: chief operating officer, corporate director and general counsel, U. Yamane Ltd.; partner, Takushi Funaki Wong & Stone; partner, Okumura Takushi Funaki & Wee.

Lori H. Wada  – Current position: deputy prosecuting attorney.  Prior experience: law clerk, Circuit Court Judge Thomas Kaulukukui, Jr.; law clerk, Lee Henderson & Wong.

Allen R. Wolff  – Current position: partner, Carlsmith Ball.  Prior experience: associate, Cades Shutte Fleming & Wright.

The Governor has 30 days from receipt of the lists (January 17, 2007) to make her selections.

Public comments on the nominees may be sent via e-mail to Governor.Lingle@hawaii.gov  or by fax at 808-586-0006.  All comments should be submitted by the close of business on Friday, February 2, 2007.

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For more information, contact:
Lenny Klompus
Senior Advisor – Communications
Phone: 586-7708

Russell Pang
Chief of Media Relations
Phone: 586-0043

Melvin Chiba
Chair, Judicial Selection Commission
Phone: 538-5200