The Hawaiʻi State Senate will convene its second special session of 2023 to consider the judicial appointments of Judge Lisa M. Ginoza and Vladimir P. Devens for Associate Justice of the Hawaiʻi State Supreme Court. Currently, Lisa M. Ginoza is Chief Judge of the State of Hawaiʻi Intermediate Court of Appeals, and Vladimir P. Devens leads the Law Offices of Vladimir P. Devens, LLC.
Hawaiʻi State Supreme Court Associate Justice Paula A. Nakayama retired in April, and Associate Justice Michael D. Wilson retired in March, shortly before they reached the mandatory retirement age of 70. The special session will consider the Governor’s appointments of Ginoza and Devens to fill the two vacancies.
The confirmation process will begin with a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing chaired by Senator Karl Rhoads (District 13 - Dowsett Highlands, Pu‘unui, Nu‘uanu, Pacific Heights, Pauoa, Punchbowl, Pālama, Liliha, ʻIwilei, Chinatown, and Downtown) on Friday, November 17, 2023, at 10:00 a.m.
The Senate will convene in a floor session at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, November 20, 2023. This will be followed by a separate decision-making meeting of the Judiciary Committee at 11:30 a.m., on the same day, at which time the Committee will make a recommendation on each appointment.
Final Senate votes on the appointments are expected on Tuesday, November 21, 2023.
"Congratulations to both Chief Judge Ginoza and Mr. Devens on their appointments to the Hawaiʻi State Supreme Court," said Senator Rhoads. "Being a State Supreme Court Justice is an incredible responsibility, and the Senate has the vital constitutional obligation to ensure that these appointees are qualified to sit on the highest court in our State. Between now and the special session in November, the Senate, the Judiciary Committee, and I will conduct a thorough review of the appointees."
The special session will only address the two pending judicial appointments.