List of justices of the Supreme Court of Hawaii

Following is a list of justices of the Supreme Court of Hawaii.

Current justices

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Title Name Served on court since Current term
Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald May 11, 2009 September 14, 2010 – September 13, 2030
Justice Sabrina McKenna March 3, 2011 March 3, 2011 – March 2, 2021
Justice Todd W. Eddins December 11, 2020 December 11, 2020 – December 10, 2030
Justice Lisa M. Ginoza January 12, 2024 January 12, 2024 - January 11, 2034
Justice Vladimir Devens January 12, 2024 January 12, 2024 - January 11, 2034

Past justices

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From October 8, 1840, to January 15, 1848, the court was known as the Supreme Court of the Kingdom of Hawaii.

  • This early Supreme Court was head by the King, the Kuhina Nui, and four other chiefs elected by the representative body to serve as Judges. The four judges of the Supreme Court were not associate justices but served that capacity as assistants to the chief justice, i.e. the King.[1][2][3]

From January 15, 1848, to December 6, 1852, it was known as the Superior Court of the Kingdom of Hawaii.
From December 6, 1852, to January 17, 1893, it was known as the Supreme Court of the Kingdom of Hawaii.
From January 17, 1893, to July 4, 1898, it was known as the Supreme Court of the Republic of Hawaii.
From July 4, 1898, to August 21, 1959, it was known as the Supreme Court of the Territory of Hawaii.
From August 21, 1959, to the present, it is known as the Supreme Court of Hawaii.

Pre-statehood courts

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Name Portrait Appointment Term End Chief Justice Appointment Chief Justice Term End
Kamehameha III[1]
 
October 8, 1840 January 15, 1848 October 8, 1840 January 15, 1848[4]
Kekāuluohi[1]
 
October 8, 1840[5] June 7, 1845
Keoni Ana[1]
 
June 10, 1845 January 15, 1848
Zorobabela Kaʻauwai[1] May 10, 1842[6] November, 1846 (resigned)[1][7]
Pākī[1]
 
May 10, 1842[8] by January 15, 1848
Charles Kanaʻina[1]
 
May 10, 1842[9] by January 15, 1848
Jonah Kapena[1] May 10, 1842[10] by January 15, 1848
Joshua Kaeo[1] November, 1846[1][7] by January 15, 1848
Lorrin Andrews
 
January 15, 1848 January 10, 1855[11]
John Papa ʻĪʻī
 
January 15, 1848 February 16, 1864[12]
William Little Lee
 
January 16, 1848 May 28, 1857 January 16, 1848 May 28, 1857[13]
George Morison Robertson*
 
January 10, 1855 December 24, 1863[14]
Elisha Hunt Allen
 
June 4, 1857 February 22, 1877 June 4, 1857[15] February 1, 1877[16]
George Morison Robertson*
 
February 16, 1864 March 12, 1867[14]
Robert Grimes Davis February 16, 1864 July 8, 1868[17]
James W. Austin
 
July 10, 1868 July 10, 1869[18]
Alfred S. Hartwell*
 
September 30, 1868 February 18, 1874[19]
Hermann A. Widemann
 
July 10, 1869 February 18, 1874[20]
Charles Coffin Harris
 
February 18, 1874 July 2, 1881 February 1, 1877 July 2, 1881[21]
Albert Francis Judd
 
February 18, 1874 May 20, 1900 November 5, 1881 May 20, 1900[22]
Lawrence McCully
 
February 1, 1877 April 10, 1892[23]
Benjamin H. Austin November 7, 1881 July 5, 1885[24]
Edward Preston
 
July 7, 1885 January 17, 1890[25]
Richard F. Bickerton
 
December 29, 1886 December 10, 1895[26]
Abraham Fornander
 
December 27, 1886 November 1, 1887[27]
Sanford B. Dole
 
December 28, 1887 January 17, 1893[28]
Walter F. Frear
 
March 7, 1893 August 15, 1907 July 5, 1900 August 15, 1907[29]
William Austin Whiting
 
January 11, 1896 July 14, 1900[30]
Antonio Perry*
 
July 5, 1900 June 15, 1904[31]
Clinton A. Galbraith
 
June 30, 1900 June 15, 1904[32]
Alfred S. Hartwell*
 
June 15, 1904 March 9, 1911 August 15, 1907 March 9, 1911[19]
Francis March Hatch
 
June 15, 1904 January 31, 1905[33]
Arthur A. Wilder
 
February 13, 1905 January 25, 1910[34]
Sidney M. Ballou
 
August 15, 1907 May 6, 1909[35]
Antonio Perry*
 
May 6, 1909 April 2, 1914[31]
John T. DeBolt 1910 1914
Alexander George Morison Robertson
 
March 9, 1911 January 1, 1918 March 9, 1911 January 1, 1918[36]
Edward Minor Watson Jr.
 
March 19, 1914 December 15, 1916[37]
Ralph P. Quarles
 
April 2, 1914 September 12, 1918[38]
James Leslie Coke*
 
January 13, 1917 April 17, 1922 March 7, 1918 April 17, 1922[39]
Samuel B. Kemp*
 
March 7, 1918 April 17, 1922[40]
William S. Edings
 
September 26, 1918 October 10, 1922[41]
Antonio Perry*
 
April 17, 1922 July 3, 1934 February 26, 1926 July 3, 1934[42]
Emil C. Peters*
 
April 17, 1922 December 21, 1925 April 17, 1922 December 21, 1925
Alexander Lindsay Jr.
 
October 10, 1922[43] September 5, 1926[44]
James J. Banks 1926 1938
Charles Francis Parsons 1926 1935
James Leslie Coke*
 
July 3, 1934 March 22, 1941 July 3, 1934 March 22, 1941[39]
Emil C. Peters*
 
1935 1949
Samuel B. Kemp*
 
1938 June 30, 1950 June 20, 1941 June 30, 1950[40]
Louis LeBaron
 
1942 1955
Albert Moses Cristy 1949 1950
Edward Armstrong Towse
 
April 18, 1950 April 6, 1956 October 15, 1951 April 6, 1956
Ingram Stainback
 
October 15, 1951 1959
Philip L. Rice
 
February 7, 1955 July 27, 1959 March 29, 1956 July 27, 1959
Masaji Marumoto
 
1956 1959

Succession of seats (1900–1959)

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Courts since statehood

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Name Portrait Appointment Term End Chief Justice Appointment Chief Justice Term End
Charles E. Cassidy
 
October 5, 1959 May 8, 1967
Cable A. Wirtz October 5, 1959 May 8, 1967
Rhoda Valentine Lewis October 5, 1959 May 8, 1967
Masaji Marumoto*
 
October 5, 1959 September 15, 1960
Wilfred Tsukiyama October 5, 1959 December 31, 1965 October 5, 1959 December 31, 1965
Jack Mizuha April 28, 1961 June 28, 1968
William S. Richardson March 25, 1966 October 30, 1982 March 25, 1966 October 30, 1982
Kazuhisa Abe May 8, 1967 December 28, 1973
Bernard H. Levinson May 8, 1967 August 31, 1974
Masaji Marumoto*
 
May 8, 1967 December 28, 1973
Bert T. Kobayashi July 17, 1969 December 29, 1978
Thomas Shoichi Ogata February 5, 1974 December 30, 1981
Benjamin Menor April 16, 1974 December 30, 1981
Homer Baird Kidwell July 1, 1975 February 28, 1979
Herman T. F. Lum January 28, 1980 March 31, 1993 April 26, 1983 March 31, 1993
Edward Nakamura March 24, 1980 December 28, 1989
Yoshimi Hayashi March 30, 1982 March 31, 1992
Frank D. Padgett
 
March 30, 1982 March 31, 1992
James H. Wakatsuki September 7, 1983 September 22, 1992
Robert G. Klein March 31, 1992 February 4, 2000
Steven Levinson April 7, 1992 December 30, 2008
Paula A. Nakayama April 22, 1993 April 21, 2023[45]
Mario R. Ramil May 13, 1993 December 31, 2002
Ronald Moon March 9, 1990 March 30, 2010 March 31, 1993 March 30, 2010
James E. Duffy June 27, 2003 July 1, 2012
Simeon R. Acoba Jr. May 19, 2000 February 29, 2014
Richard W. Pollack August 6, 2012 June 2, 2020
Mark E. Recktenwald
 
May 5, 2009 September 14, 2010 September 14, 2010 Incumbent
Sabrina McKenna
 
March 3, 2011
Michael D. Wilson April 17, 2014 March 31, 2023[46]
Todd W. Eddins December 11, 2020
  • Indicates served non-consecutive terms as either an Associate Justice or Chief Justice.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Frear, Walter F. (1894). "Evolution of the Hawaiian Judiciary". Papers of the Hawaiian Historical Society (7). Honolulu: Hawaiian Historical Society. hdl:10524/966.
  2. ^ Judd, Albert Francis (1888). ""Early Constitution of the Judiciary of the Hawaiian Islands," Maile Wreath, February 1875, reprinted in". All About Hawaii. Honolulu: Honolulu Star-Bulletin: 63–67.
  3. ^ Kuykendall, Ralph Simpson (1965) [1938]. The Hawaiian Kingdom 1778–1854, Foundation and Transformation. Vol. 1. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. pp. 167–168. ISBN 0-87022-431-X.
  4. ^ "Justices from 1840 to current". University of Hawaii School of Law Research Guides. Retrieved 2014-12-19.
  5. ^ "Kekauluohi, Miriam Auhea office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on 2011-07-21. Retrieved 2014-12-22.
  6. ^ "Kaauwai, Zorobabela office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Retrieved 2014-12-22.
  7. ^ a b "By Authority". The Polynesian. November 14, 1846. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
  8. ^ "Paki, Abner office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on 2013-11-11. Retrieved 2014-12-22.
  9. ^ "Kanaina, Charles office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Retrieved 2014-12-22.
  10. ^ "Kapena, Jonah office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Retrieved 2014-12-22.
  11. ^ "Andrews, Lorrin office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2014-12-22.
  12. ^ "Ii, John office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2014-12-22.
  13. ^ "Lee, William L. office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on 2012-03-06. Retrieved 2010-03-11.
  14. ^ a b "Robertson, George Morison office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Retrieved 2014-12-22.
  15. ^ "Allen, Elish Hunt office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Retrieved 2014-12-22.
  16. ^ "Supreme Court, Chief Justices of office record" (PDF). state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 6, 2012. Retrieved October 21, 2010.
  17. ^ "Davis, Robert Grimes office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on 2014-12-22. Retrieved 2014-12-22.
  18. ^ "Austin, James W. office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Retrieved 2014-12-22.
  19. ^ a b "Hartwell, Alfred S. office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on 2012-03-20. Retrieved 2014-12-22.
  20. ^ "Widemann, Hermann A. office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved October 21, 2010.
  21. ^ "Harris, Charles Coffin office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2014-12-22.
  22. ^ "Judd, Albert Francis Sr. office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2014-12-22.
  23. ^ "McCully, Lawrence office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on 2014-12-22. Retrieved 2014-12-22.
  24. ^ "Austin, Benjamin H. office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Retrieved 2014-12-22.
  25. ^ "Preston, Edward office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on 2012-03-20. Retrieved 2014-12-22.
  26. ^ "Bickerton, Richard Fredrick office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Retrieved 2014-12-22.
  27. ^ "Fornander, Abraham office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on March 6, 2012. Retrieved October 21, 2010.
  28. ^ "Dole, Sanford Ballard office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on March 6, 2012. Retrieved September 9, 2010.
  29. ^ "Frear, Walter F. office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on March 20, 2012. Retrieved October 21, 2010.
  30. ^ "Whiting, William Austin office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 21, 2010.
  31. ^ a b "Perry, Antonio office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Retrieved 2014-12-22.
  32. ^ "Galbraith, Clinton A. office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Retrieved 2014-12-22.
  33. ^ "Hatch, Francis March office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Retrieved October 21, 2010.
  34. ^ "Wilder, Arthur A. office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on May 24, 2015. Retrieved October 21, 2010.
  35. ^ "Ballou, Sidney M. office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Retrieved 2014-12-22.
  36. ^ "Robertson, Alexander George Morrison office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Retrieved October 21, 2010.
  37. ^ "Watson, Edward M. office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Retrieved October 21, 2010.
  38. ^ "Quarles, Ralph P. office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Retrieved 2014-12-22.
  39. ^ a b "Coke, James Leslie office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on 2014-12-22. Retrieved 2014-12-22.
  40. ^ a b "Kemp, Samuel B. office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on 2014-12-22. Retrieved 2014-12-22.
  41. ^ "Edings, William Seabrook office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Retrieved October 21, 2010.
  42. ^ "Perry, Antonio office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Retrieved October 21, 2010.
  43. ^ "Lindsay, Alexander B. Jr. office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Retrieved October 21, 2010.
  44. ^ The Michigan Alumnus. Ann Harbor, MI: UM Libraries. 1926. pp. 261–262. UOM:39015071121183.
  45. ^ "Celebrating Justice Paula A. Nakayama Day". Hawaii State Judiciary. April 21, 2023.
  46. ^ "Nutter & Co. v. Namahoe, SCWC-17-0000496" (PDF). Hawaii State Judiciary. April 17, 2023. Associate Justice Michael D. Wilson, who was a member of the court when the case was decided, retired on March 31, 2023.