HONOLULU, Hawaii – One of the final acts of the Hawaii State Senate during the 2014 session was to confirm the judiciary appointment of Hilo lawyer Henry Nakamoto to judge of the District Family Court of the Third Circuit.

The appointment was made by Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald. A State Judiciary media release detailed Nakamoto’s background:

Nakamoto has been a partner in the Hilo firm of Nakamoto, Okamoto and Yamamoto since 1996. Prior to joining the firm in 1992 as an associate, he was an associate with the Honolulu law firm of Goodsill, Anderson, Quinn and Stifel, from 1989 to 1991. Nakamoto is a civil litigator who specializes in family law, real estate law and estate planning. He has served as a custody evaluator, guardian ad litem and special master for the Third Circuit Family Court, and as an arbitrator for the Court Annexed Arbitration Program.

Nakamoto received his law degree from the University of California Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco, in 1989. He is active in professional, public and community service organizations. He served as President of the Hawaiʻi County Bar Association in 2000, and currently serves as a parent member of Waiakea Intermediate School’s Community Council and as president of the Waiakea High School Foundation, a position he has held for nearly ten years.

The chief justice appoints District Court and District Family Court judges from a list of not less than six nominees submitted by the Judicial Selection Commission.Hawaii State Judiciary

The Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by Clayton Hee, was able to speed through the approval process, first with the required hearing. Retired Hilo judge Stuart Oda, first filmed by Big Island Video News in 2008, spoke highly of the young Nakamoto in this public testimony.

Henry Nakamoto also addressed the Judiciary Committee.

A few days later, the full senate confirmed the nomination. Hawaii Island senators spoke in favor.