Chief Justice Seeks Public Comment on Nominees For District Family Court Vacancies

There are two vacancies in the District Family Court of the 3rd Circuit on the Big Island, and Hawai‘i Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald is seeking public comment on nominees to fill those positions.

The nominees submitted by the Judicial Selection Commission, in alphabetical order, are:

• Mark D. Disher is a deputy corporation counsel with Hawai‘i County. He is a graduate of the University of Hawai‘i William S. Richardson School of Law and was admitted to the Hawai‘i State Bar in 2008.
• Brandon K. Flores is the assistant administrator for the Child Support Enforcement Agency with the state Department of the Attorney General. He is a graduate of the UH William S. Richardson School of Law and was admitted to the State Bar in 1996.
• Jill M. Hasegawa is employed with Raymond K. Hasegawa, AAL, ALC, and serves as a per diem judge in District and District Family Court of the 3rd Circuit. She is a graduate of the William S. Richardson School of Law and was admitted to the State Bar in 2004.
• William B. Heflin is employed with Alcain Naniole & Heflin LLC. He is a graduate of the William S. Richardson School of Law and was admitted to the Hawai‘i State Bar in 2001.
• Haaheo M. Kahoohalahala is a deputy prosecuting attorney with the Hawai‘i County Office of the Prosecuting Attorney. She is a graduate of the William S. Richardson School of Law and was admitted to the State Bar in 2012.
• Charles E. Murray III is a deputy prosecuting attorney with the county prosecutor’s office. He is a graduate of the George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School and was admitted to the Hawai‘i State Bar in 2015.
• Joanna E. Sokolow is employed with Sokolow & Gibson LLP and serves as a per diem judge in the District Family Court of the 3rd Circuit. She is a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center and was admitted to the Hawai‘i State Bar in 2006.

The chief justice has the discretion to assign judges to the District or District Family Court calendar. Comments about the qualifications and character of any of the nominees with regard to either calendar assignment can be sent, in writing, to Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald, Supreme Court of Hawai‘i, 417 S. King St., Honolulu, HI 96813; faxed to 808-539-4703; or emailed to chiefjustice@courts.hawaii.gov.

Comments should be postmarked, emailed, faxed or hand delivered no later than May 6. All comments will be kept confidential.