Court Briefs

• Publication year: 2020

COURT BRIEFS

Celebrating Justice Richard W. Pollack Day

Candy and Richard W. Pollack

After 40 years of dedicated service to the legal community and people of Hawaii, Supreme Court Associate Justice Richard W. Pollack was honored with a proclamation issued by Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald declaring July 1, 2020 Associate Justice Richard W. Pollack Day in the Courts of the State of Hawaii.

The proclamation stated, in part, that "[d]uring his tenure on the Supreme Court, Justice Pollack was extraordinarily productive, authoring more than 150 opinions, all of which were meticulously researched and clearly written. He shaped the court's jurisprudence in areas including public trust resources and the environment, criminal procedure, evidence, and public access to governmental proceedings. He was always respectful in his decisions, even when others held different points of view."

The pandemic prevented a more sizable retirement celebration, but guests enjoyed the intimate event that included masks and social distancing.

Justice Pollack intends to continue his duties on the Commission on Professionalism and as a law professor.

Judges Castagnetti and Tootoo Retained

Judges Jeannette H. Castagnetti and Faauuga L. Tootoo were recently retained as First Circuit Court judges.

Judge Castagnetti's new term will be from September 30, 2020 to September 29, 2030. Judge Tootoo's new term will be from October 7, 2020 to October 6, 2030.

West Hawaii Bar Association and HSBA's YLD donate books for students

The West Hawaii Bar Association ("WHBA") and the Young Lawyers Division ("YLD") of the Hawaii State Bar Association ("HSBA") in April donated books personally autographed by U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor for students in Hawaii. The books "Turning Pages, My Life Story" (also in Spanish), "Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You," and "The Beloved World of Sonia Sotomayor," were all written by Justice Sotomayor.

As part of their distance learning homework assignment in conjunction with Law Week 2020 and the National Judicial College Reading and Robes program, Konawaena Elementary School had the students watch a video of Judge Wendy DeWeese...