STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1717

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  GOV. MSG. NO. 248
                                        




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred
Governor's Message No. 248, submitting for study and
consideration the nomination of:

     JOSEPH E. CARDOZA, gubernatorial nominee to the Circuit
Court of the Second Circuit, for a term of Ten Years, 

begs leave to report as follows:

     Upon review of the background information submitted by the
nominee, your Committee finds that Joseph E. Cardoza holds a
Bachelor's degree from Washington State University and a J.D.
degree from the University of Puget Sound School of Law, now
known as the Seattle University School of Law.  Mr. Cardoza has
24 years of law experience and has served as President of the
Hawaii Prosecuting Attorneys Association, President of the Maui
County Bar Association, and as a member of the National District
Attorneys Association.  His community activities include Advisory
Board Member of the Alzheimer's Association, Member of the Rotary
Club of Kahului, Director of the Maui Portuguese Chamber of
Commerce, and Director of the Maui Catholic Youth Organization. 

     Testimony in support of the nominee was submitted to your
Committee by:  the Prosecuting Attorney of the County of Hawaii;
the Prosecuting Attorney of the County of Maui; the County of
Maui Police Department; the Hawaii State Bar Association; the
National Federation of Interscholastic Officials Association; the
Hawaii Nurses Association; the Hawaii State Teachers Association;
the Honorable Boyd P. Mossman; nine members of the legal
community; and 23 private citizens.  All testimony unanimously
supported the nomination of Mr. Cardoza by indicating that he is

 
a                                                     
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                                   Page 2


fair, dedicated, trustworthy, compassionate, competent, hard
working, and possesses the highest level of integrity and passion
for his work.  Further, testifiers acknowledged that Mr. Cardoza
possesses the professional experience, legal knowledge and
ability, judicial temperament, and diligence necessary to be
highly qualified as a judge in the Second Circuit Court.  

     Your Committee members diligently questioned the nominee
regarding his legal experience, his views on alternative dispute
resolution, and his beliefs on the protection of privacy rights.
Your Committee believes that the nominee adequately responded to
the Committee's inquiries.


     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your
Committee, after full consideration of the background, character,
experience, and qualifications of the nominee, has found the
nominee to be qualified for the position to which nominated and
recommends that the Senate consent to the nomination.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Judiciary,



                                   ______________________________
                                   AVERY B. CHUMBLEY, Co-Chair



                                   ______________________________
                                   MATTHEW M. MATSUNAGA, Co-Chair

 
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