Hawaii
Hawaii’s highest court is the Supreme Court of the State of Hawaii. The court has four associate justices and one chief justice. The chief justice is appointed under the same procedures as the associate justices. (Source: Hawaii Constitution)
Judicial Selection
The governor nominates a candidate to the Supreme Court of the State of Hawaii from a list provided by a judicial selection commission. The governor’s selection must be confirmed by a majority of the state senate. The appointed justice serves a 10-year term. Justices may stand for reappointment by the state’s judicial selection commission to additional terms. The governor nominates a judicial candidate to fill an interim vacancy from a list provided by a judicial selection commission. The governor’s selection must be confirmed by a majority of the state senate. The appointed justice serves a 10-year term. The mandatory retirement age is 70.
State Constitution
Hawaii’s first and only constitution was adopted in 1950. As of January 1, 2024, it had 114 amendments. (Source: John Dinan, 2024)
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Advice for Law Students From State Supreme Court Justices
As the school year kicks off, eight justices reflect on what they wish someone had told them when they were in law school.
Knife Laws on the Chopping Block
Massachusetts’s highest court confronts the nuances of federalism in a Second Amendment challenge to the state’s switchblade ban.
What the Framers Really Thought About Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness
Debates from state constitutional conventions show delegates expected protections for inalienable rights to have teeth.
State Constitutional Conventions, Explained
The last state to hold a conventional convention was in Rhode Island in 1986.
The State Constitutional Rights to Bear Arms After Rahimi
The U.S. Supreme Court’s holding that the disarmament of a domestic abuser was not unconstitutional could incentivize gun-rights advocates to bring their claims in state court.
Judicial Deference to Agency Expertise in the States
Almost all state courts recognize the importance of agencies’ expertise in policymaking.
SCOTUS’s 2nd Amendment Decision Leaves Open Questions for State Courts
The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the disarmament of a domestic abuser in United States v. Rahimi, but litigation over where to draw the line will continue.
Three U.S. Supreme Court Cases that Transformed State Judicial Elections
Judicial elections have become major political battlegrounds — complete with dark money, special interests, and attack ads — thanks to several U.S. Supreme Court decisions.