Hawaii Is Looking For Its Next Supreme Court Justice

Gov. Josh Green is likely to appoint a new Hawaii Supreme Court chief justice next year, his third pick for the five-member court.

On Friday the Judicial Selection Commission posted a vacancy for the position, currently held by Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald. By law, judges and justice in Hawaii are mandated to retire at age 70, an age Recktenwald will reach in 2025.

Applicants must be residents and citizens of Hawaii and licensed to practice law here for not less than 10 years preceding their nomination.

The term of office of the CJ, as the position is known in shorthand, is 10 years. The annual salary is $248,124.

The Judicial Selection Commission will publish the list of all applicants to its website, and the public will be invited to provide comments. The commission will then forward not less than four names and not more than six names to the governor for his consideration.

A justice’s nomination is then subject to confirmation by the state Senate.

A year ago at this time the Senate confirmed Lisa Ginoza and Vlad Devens to serve on the court.

Recktenwald was named CJ in 2010, after Gov. Linda Lingle’s nomination of Appeals Court Judge Katherine Leonard was rejected by the Senate for lacking leadership and management experience.