Two lawyers appointed to District Family Court bench

Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald on Wednesday appointed two individuals to fill judicial positions in the District Family Court of the Third Circuit on Hawaii Island.

Jill M. Hasegawa has been appointed to replace retired judge Mahilani Hiatt. She is currently employed with Raymond K. Hasegawa, AAL, ALC, and serves as a per diem judge in the District and District Family Courts of the Third Circuit.

Prior to that she was employed by Ashford &Wriston LLP from 2004 to 2017. She is a graduate of the University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law, and was admitted to the Hawaii State Bar in 2004.

Joanna E. Sokolow has been appointed to replace Judge Wendy DeWeese, who was elevated to the circuit court bench.

She is currently employed with Sokolow &Gibson, LLP, and serves as a per diem judge in the District Family Court of the Third Circuit. Prior to that she was employed by the Children’s Law Project from 2019 to 2021, the Office of the Public Defender from 2015 to 2019, and Legal Aid Society of Hawaii from 2006 to 2015. She is a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center, and was admitted to the Hawaii State Bar in 2006.

Recktenwald made his appointments from the nomination lists that were presented to him by the Judicial Selection Commission on April 25. Both appointments are subject to Senate confirmation.