Mark Recktenwald '86 Nominated as Hawaii's Next Chief Justice

Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle on Friday nominated Hawaii Supreme Court Associate Justice Mark E. Recktenwald, '86, to serve as Hawaii’s next chief justice.

If confirmed by the state Senate, he would succeed retiring Chief Justice Ronald Moon to become Hawaii’s fifth chief justice and serve an initial 10-year term. Under state law, Moon must retire upon reaching age 70 next month.

“I am honored to appoint Associate Justice Recktenwald to be Hawaii’s next Supreme Court chief justice,” Lingle said in a prepared statement. “Justice Recktenwald is highly regarded in the legal community and I have confidence that he will guide our courts in ensuring the rule of law is upheld and the tenants of our constitution are protected.

Lingle appointed Recktenwald to replace retired Associate Justice Steven Levinson on the Hawaii Supreme Court in May 2009. He previously was chief judge of the Intermediate Court of Appeals for two years and before that was director of the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

Recktenwald, a graduate of Harvard University and the University of Chicago Law School, is a former assistant U.S. attorney and was a partner with the Honolulu law firm of Marr Jones and Wang.

Read more about Recktenwald here.

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