Gov. David Ige today announced two appointments to the 3rd Circuit Court bench.
Gov. David Ige today announced two appointments to the 3rd Circuit Court bench.
Henry Taro Nakamoto, 53, District Family Court Judge, 3rd Circuit, is appointed to the Hilo Circuit Court to fill the vacancy created by the Dec. 31, 2016, retirement of Judge Glenn S. Hara.
Nakamoto has been a District Family Court Judge since June 2014. He was previously a partner and director at the Hilo firm of Nakamoto, Okamoto & Yamamoto and an associate in the Honolulu law firm Goodsill Anderson Quinn & Stifel.
The Big Island native practiced law there for 23 years, focusing on family and civil law. Nakamoto completed a B.A. in economics at Cornell University before earning his J.D. at Hastings College of Law.
Attorney Robert D.S. Kim, 63, is appointed to the Kona Circuit Court to fill the vacancy created by the June 30 retirement of Judge Ronald Ibarra in June 2017.
Kim is a litigator concentrating in criminal defense, family law, civil litigation, personal injury litigation, and administrative proceedings. He has served as the West Hawaii Bar President for many years. Kim graduated from the University of Hawaii at Hilo with a B.A. in political science and earned his law degree at the William S. Richardson School of Law.
Both appointments are subject to Senate confirmation.