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
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
edit
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)
edit
Courts since statehood
edit
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.
^ 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 .
^ 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.
^ 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 .
^ "Justices from 1840 to current" . University of Hawaii School of Law Research Guides. Retrieved 2014-12-19 .
^ "Kekauluohi, Miriam Auhea office record" . state archives digital collections . state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on 2011-07-21. Retrieved 2014-12-22 .
^ "Kaauwai, Zorobabela office record" . state archives digital collections . state of Hawaii. Retrieved 2014-12-22 .
^ a b "By Authority" . The Polynesian . November 14, 1846. Retrieved March 23, 2015 .
^ "Paki, Abner office record" . state archives digital collections . state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on 2013-11-11. Retrieved 2014-12-22 .
^ "Kanaina, Charles office record" . state archives digital collections . state of Hawaii. Retrieved 2014-12-22 .
^ "Kapena, Jonah office record" . state archives digital collections . state of Hawaii. Retrieved 2014-12-22 .
^ "Andrews, Lorrin office record" . state archives digital collections . state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2014-12-22 .
^ "Ii, John office record" . state archives digital collections . state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2014-12-22 .
^ "Lee, William L. office record" . state archives digital collections . state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on 2012-03-06. Retrieved 2010-03-11 .
^ a b "Robertson, George Morison office record" . state archives digital collections . state of Hawaii. Retrieved 2014-12-22 .
^ "Allen, Elish Hunt office record" . state archives digital collections . state of Hawaii. Retrieved 2014-12-22 .
^ "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 .
^ "Davis, Robert Grimes office record" . state archives digital collections . state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on 2014-12-22. Retrieved 2014-12-22 .
^ "Austin, James W. office record" . state archives digital collections . state of Hawaii. Retrieved 2014-12-22 .
^ 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 .
^ "Widemann, Hermann A. office record" . state archives digital collections . state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved October 21, 2010 .
^ "Harris, Charles Coffin office record" . state archives digital collections . state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2014-12-22 .
^ "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 .
^ "McCully, Lawrence office record" . state archives digital collections . state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on 2014-12-22. Retrieved 2014-12-22 .
^ "Austin, Benjamin H. office record" . state archives digital collections . state of Hawaii. Retrieved 2014-12-22 .
^ "Preston, Edward office record" . state archives digital collections . state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on 2012-03-20. Retrieved 2014-12-22 .
^ "Bickerton, Richard Fredrick office record" . state archives digital collections . state of Hawaii. Retrieved 2014-12-22 .
^ "Fornander, Abraham office record" . state archives digital collections . state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on March 6, 2012. Retrieved October 21, 2010 .
^ "Dole, Sanford Ballard office record" . state archives digital collections . state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on March 6, 2012. Retrieved September 9, 2010 .
^ "Frear, Walter F. office record" . state archives digital collections . state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on March 20, 2012. Retrieved October 21, 2010 .
^ "Whiting, William Austin office record" . state archives digital collections . state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 21, 2010 .
^ a b "Perry, Antonio office record" . state archives digital collections . state of Hawaii. Retrieved 2014-12-22 .
^ "Galbraith, Clinton A. office record" . state archives digital collections . state of Hawaii. Retrieved 2014-12-22 .
^ "Hatch, Francis March office record" . state archives digital collections . state of Hawaii. Retrieved October 21, 2010 .
^ "Wilder, Arthur A. office record" . state archives digital collections . state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on May 24, 2015. Retrieved October 21, 2010 .
^ "Ballou, Sidney M. office record" . state archives digital collections . state of Hawaii. Retrieved 2014-12-22 .
^ "Robertson, Alexander George Morrison office record" . state archives digital collections . state of Hawaii. Retrieved October 21, 2010 .
^ "Watson, Edward M. office record" . state archives digital collections . state of Hawaii. Retrieved October 21, 2010 .
^ "Quarles, Ralph P. office record" . state archives digital collections . state of Hawaii. Retrieved 2014-12-22 .
^ 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 .
^ 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 .
^ "Edings, William Seabrook office record" . state archives digital collections . state of Hawaii. Retrieved October 21, 2010 .
^ "Perry, Antonio office record" . state archives digital collections . state of Hawaii. Retrieved October 21, 2010 .
^ "Lindsay, Alexander B. Jr. office record" . state archives digital collections . state of Hawaii. Retrieved October 21, 2010 .
^ The Michigan Alumnus . Ann Harbor, MI: UM Libraries. 1926. pp. 261–262. UOM:39015071121183.
^ "Celebrating Justice Paula A. Nakayama Day" . Hawaii State Judiciary . April 21, 2023.
^ "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.