A prominent Maui attorney and the head of the Hawaii State Ethics Commission are among the names of six nominees looking to fill a vacancy on the state’s Intermediate Court of Appeals.

Lance Collins, an attorney in private practice since 2005, has often been featured in the news, including a legal challenge to a controversial wind farm in Kahuku.

Dan Gluck is executive director and general counsel of the Ethics Commission who previously served as legal director for ACLU Hawaii.

The Judicial Selection Commission submitted six ICA nominees to Gov. David Ige, who has until July 9 to make his selection. The state Senate would then consider the confirmation.

The other candidates are:

• Summer M. M. Kupau-Odo, a District Court judge of the First Circuit since 2018;
• Sonja M.P. McCullen, a deputy prosecuting attorney for the City and County of Honolulu;
• Malia E. Schreck, an attorney in private practice; and
• Taryn R. Tomasa Gifford, a deputy public defender with the Office of the Public Defender, Appellate Division.

More information about the nominees can be viewed here. The public can submit comments on any of the nominees on the governor’s website.

The Intermediate Court of Appeals is the court that “hears nearly all appeals” in the state, according to the Hawaii State Judiciary, and is composed of six judges who sit on panels of three each.

The ICA position has been vacant since the retirement of Associate Judge Derrick H. M. Chan in October.

Other Vacancies

In other judicial news, Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald is accepting public comment on judicial nominees for a position in the District Family Court in the First Circuit, Island of Oahu.

The nominees are:

• Russ S. Awakuni of the Legal Aid Society of Hawaii;
• Harvey M. Demetrakopoulos with Shim & Chang;
• Chastity T. Imamura, a hearings officer with the Office of Dispute Resolution in the Department of the Attorney General;
• Clarissa Y. Malinao with at Clarissa Y. Malinao, Attorney at Law and a Per Diem Judge in the District Court of the First Circuit;
• Lesley N. Maloian, a deputy public defender with the Office of the Public Defender;
• Steven R. Nichols, a deputy public defender with the Office of the Public Defender;
• Shanlyn A.S. Park with Gallagher Kane Amai & Reyes; and
• Rochelle I. Vidinha (Cusumano), a deputy prosecuting attorney with the Department of Prosecuting Attorney.

More information on the nominees can be viewed here.

Confidential comments about the qualifications and character of any of the nominees with regard to either calendar assignment may be sent to chiefjustice@courts.hawaii.gov. The deadline is June 23.