Monthly Archives: October 2012

Television commercial for Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Keith M. Kaneshiro 2012 re-election:

For Honolulu Deputy Prosecuting Attorneys litigating in the district courts, we have hundreds of cases a week that we are either screening to charge, typing complaints, screening to ensure staff subpoenas the necessary witnesses, typing substantive memos in opposition to opposing counsels’ motions, typing technical motions, re-filing due to dismissals by the court, and preparing for trial. In some situations, Honolulu Deputy Prosecuting Attorneys can have up to a 100 cases in a single court hearing. In Honolulu District Criminal Court, we can have up to 30 criminal cases in a court hearing. When we have huge caseloads in a court hearing, we can have many private attorneys coming in with their one or two cases and Public Defender attorneys with their bunch of cases, and we have to be ready to argue all cases against all of the attorneys before the judge. Moreover, a number of district court judges can be temperamental and impatient, especially if we have to go to trial since it is common knowledge that some judges just want to go home as soon as possible. For those judges who are temperamental and impatient, they take their anger out on the Deputy Prosecuting Attorneys since it is the deputy prosecutors who call the cases on the calendar. I think every judge in the district courts should experience calling cases then maybe some of them could hopefully become more humble and abide by the Rules of Judicial Conduct that they are required to uphold. The pressures of being a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in the district courts is like a right of passage that creates a brotherhood and sisterhood among us prosecutors because we respect the hardship that we all had to endure. I am honored to be a part of this great group of attorneys serving the people of Hawaii.

On Friday, October 12, 2012, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Allen Yadao and I treated fellow Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Tricia Nakamatsu to a belated birthday dinner ar Town Restaurant in Kaimuki, Hawaii.

On Friday, October 12, 2012, from 2 P.M. to 3:30 P.M., I attended the Veteran’s Court Committee meeting at Judge Kubo’s office in the Circuit Court, Oahu First Circuit.

On Thursday, October 11, 2012, from 7:30 P.M., I attended the “Meet Up! Inaugural University of Hawaii Alumni Mixer” at the M The New Standard in Restaurant Row, Honolulu, Hawaii.

On Wednesday, October 10, 2012, from 11 A.M. to 1 P.M., I attended the Law Enforcement Coalition meeting at the Hawaii State Office Tower.

I won a trial today, Thursday, October 11, 2012 in Honolulu District Court where the defendant peddled in the Waikiki peninsula, which is a violation.

On October 6, 2012, I posted a statement on Senator “Tony” Chang on my personal Facebook page. I am including it here and my other public sites as well.  He was a great leader and friend to many.

On October 6, 2012, in my personal Facebook, I wrote:

I am saddened to have learned that my friend, Senator Anthony Chang who many called “Tony” passed away this past Tuesday, October 2, 2012 at the age of 68. Senator Chang was a great legislator and attorney. I was fortunate to have met him in 2002 through Senator Carol Fukunaga. Senator Chang would call me every so often and we often met at cultural and community events. I will always remember his smile, stories, and words of advice.

On November 3, 2010, I became a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney when Keith M. Kaneshiro was elected Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney. I serve as the department’s legislative liaison, which is busy between December to June every legislative session. After the session is done, I sit on a number of legislative task forces and committees, and I practice law as a trial attorney. In 2011 and 2012, I practiced law for traffic, petty misdemeanor, and misdemeanor cases in the district courts. Most cases in the district courts end with a plea agreement, and if an agreement cannot be reached, we go to trial. The following are bench trials I won in the district courts where the judge is the trier of fact:

7/7/2011: Won – OVUII (mental and intox) bench trial.

7/13/2011: Won – OVUII (mental and intox) bench trial.

8/9/2011: Won – Violation of Stay Away Order bench trial.

9/16/2011: Won – Speeding bench trial.

9/16/2011: Won – Speeding bench trial.

10/5/2011: Won – No Seatbelt bench trial.

11/4/2011: Won – Speeding bench trial.

11/17/2011: Won – Speeding bench trial.

3/23/2012: Won – Assault in the Third Degree bench trial.

9/12/2012: Won – Assault in the Third Degree bench trial.

10/1/2012: Won – Disorderly Conduct (Tumultuous Behavior) bench trial.