Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred Judiciary Communication No. 2, submitting for study and consideration the nomination of:

begs leave to report as follows:

Your Committee received testimony in support of the nominee from the Hawaii State Bar Association (HSBA), the Hawaii State Representative from the Fifty-first Representative District, thirty practicing attorneys, and eight individuals.

The Board of Directors of the HSBA has found the nominee to be a highly qualified candidate for the District Court Judge position. As part of the HSBA Board's procedures for taking a position on judicial appointments, the candidate was asked to submit a resume or respond to a questionnaire, or both, and appeared before the Board to answer questions. The HSBA Board utilizes a modified version of the American Bar Association Guidelines for Reviewing Qualifications of Candidates for State Judicial Office. These guidelines include the following criteria for judicial positions: integrity, legal knowledge and ability, professional experience, judicial temperament, diligence, financial responsibility, public service, collegiality, and writing ability.

Testimony supporting the nominee describe him as a perfect candidate for a judgeship, having the proper combination of intelligence, compassion, legal experience, wisdom, diligence, decisiveness, and temperament. Your Committee notes that the nominee has served as an arbitrator over personal injury cases in which the parties have found him to be fair, reasonable, knowledgeable, thorough, and even-handed.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs 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.