Governor Informed of Late Judicial Appointment

Press Release

State Attorney General David Louie informed Governor Neil Abercrombie this afternoon that the appointment of attorney Peter T. Cahill as Judge to the Circuit Court of the Maui Second Circuit was made two days late.

"The appointment of a judge has to be made within 30 days of the Judicial Selection Commission forwarding the list of applicants to the Governor,"stated Attorney General Louie. "In this case the Judicial Selection Commission sent the list to the Governor on May 11th. Therefore the Governor had to make an appointment by June 10th."

According to article VI, section 3 of the State of Hawai'i Constitution because the Governor did not make the appointment within the constitutionally mandated period, the Judicial Selection Commission shall now make the appointment to the Second Circuit with the consent of the Senate.

Governor Abercrombie said, "I should have made the appointment on Sunday, June 10th, which was the deadline. The law is the law and now the appointment to the Second Circuit is in the hands of the Judicial Selection Commission. I appreciate the process by which the Commission provided me the list and trust that they will act in good faith."

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