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. 5, submitting for study and consideration the nomination of:

LONO J. LEE, to the District Court of the First Circuit;

begs leave to report as follows:

Your Committee received testimony in support of the nominee from the Honolulu County Department of Community Services, the State Representative from the Fifty-first House District, Hawaii State Bar Association (HSBA), Hawaii Government Employees Association, ILWU Local 142, Kamehameha Lions Club, five attorneys, and seventeen individuals.

The Board of Directors of the HSBA has found the nominee to be a qualified candidate. As part of the HSBA Board's procedures for taking a position on judicial appointments, the candidate is asked to submit a resume, respond to a questionaire, and to appear 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.

Lono J. Lee is currently a per diem judge for the District Court of the First Circuit, and a practitioner specializing in family law, criminal and civil law, personal injury, workers' compensation, and labor law. He is a former Deputy Corporation Counsel, Department of the Corporation Counsel, City and County of Honolulu. The nominee has been active volunteering for the 21^st Century Oahu Community Vision Project for the City and County of Honolulu, where he has devoted countless hours in the development and advocacy of community projects that address the needs of families in his community. Your Committee notes the testimony of State Representative from the Fifty-first House District, that the nominee is flexible and quick to respond to various cases and situations, and he has the experience necessary to handle any case and any situation, abilities which he has well-demonstrated as a per diem judge.

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.