REPORT FROM THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE – HONOLULU, HAWAII – Governor Neil Abercrombie today announced the appointment of Rhonda Iwalani Lai Loo as Judge to the Circuit Court of the Second Circuit. Ms. Loo fills the vacancy on the court left by Judge Joel E. August who recently retired.
Ms. Loo, 49, is a currently a District Judge of the Second Circuit Court. She previously worked as Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for Maui County and served as a Law Clerk to the Honorable E. John McConnell. She is licensed to practice in the Supreme Court of Hawai’i and the U.S. District Court, Hawai’i.
“This appointment is a natural step forward for Judge Loo who has worked hard over the years in serving within the state’s court system,” said Governor Abercrombie. “She is committed to continuing her judicial service in Maui.”
Ms. Loo earned her JD from the William S. Richardson School of Law; she is a graduate of the University of Oregon. She is a member of the Hawai’i State Trial Judges Association, Maui County Bar Association, and the Hawai’i State Bar Association.
Circuit Court judges are appointed to 10-year terms by the Governor from a list of not less than four and not more than six nominees provided by the Judicial Selection Commission. The Governor’s judicial appointees are subject to the consent of the state Senate.