David Y. Ige

HONOLULU – Gov. David Ige has received the names of five nominees to fill a circuit judge vacancy in the First Circuit Court. The judicial office has been vacant since the retirement of Circuit Judge Bert I. Ayabe in October 2021.

The state’s Judicial Selection Commission submitted the list of nominees to Gov. Ige Wednesday morning, after careful evaluation and investigation into the backgrounds and qualifications of the applicants.

The nominees are:

Harvey M. Demetrakopoulos: has worked as an attorney in private practice since 1989. He is currently employed by Shim & Chang, AAL, ALC,  where he specializes in personal injury litigation. He earned his juris doctor degree from the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. He also has a BA in history from UH Mānoa.

Timothy E. Ho: is a per diem judge with the District Court of the First Circuit in the State of Hawaiʻi. He has previously worked as an associate attorney in private practice, served as chief deputy public defender and in various capacities with the Office of the Public Defender, and was a lecturer and adjunct professor at the William S. Richardson School of Law. He is a graduate of Creighton University and earned his J.D. at the William S. Richardson School of Law at UH Mānoa.

James S. Kawashima: is currently serving as a judge with the District Court of the First Circuit in the State of Hawaiʻi. He previously served as a per diem judge with the District Court, worked as an attorney in private practice, was chief instructor of the SAT program at Le Jardin Academy and Punahou School and was an adjunct instructor with Kapiʻolani Community College’s paralegal program.  Kawashima earned his J.D. at the University of Southern California and is a graduate of Princeton University.

Jordon J. Kimura: is an attorney/partner in private practice who is currently employed by McCorriston Miller Mukai MacKinnon LLP. He earned his juris doctor degree from the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and is also a graduate of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.

Rochelle I. Vidinha: has served as a deputy prosecuting attorney with the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney since 2001. She previously served with the Hawaiʻi Paroling Authority under the Department of Public Safety. Vidinha earned her juris doctorate from the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

Gov. Ige will interview each nominee and must make his appointment within 30 days, or by Sept. 23, 2022. Members of the public are invited to provide comments on the nominees at https://governorige.hawaii.gov/contact-us/contact-the-governor/.

 

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Media Contacts:

Jodi Leong

Deputy Communications Director/Press Secretary

Office of the Governor

Office: 808-586-0043

Mobile: 808-798-3929

[email protected]

Cindy McMillan

Communications Director

Office of the Governor

Office: 808-586-0012

Mobile: 808-265-7974

[email protected]