On Friday, January 11, 2013, at 11:30 A.M., Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Keith M. Kaneshiro, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Tricia Nakamatsu, Victim Witness Advocate Director Dennis Dunn, and I attended the Hawaii Senate Judiciary and Labor Committee hearing on nominee Kevin A. Souza for District Family Court Judge of the First Circuit and nominee Dean E. Ochiai for Circuit Court Judge of the First Circuit.
I worked with Judge Kevin A. Souza in 2009 to 2010 when I was House Judiciary Committee Chair and Judge Souza was an adviser for Lt. Governor Duke Aiona and also in my current position as Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in the District Courts of the First Circuit while he was a defense attorney in 2011. Although Judge Souza and I were often on opposite sides of an issue in politics or in court, he has always been a pleasure to work with, which speaks volumes of his good character.
From 2011 to 2012, I got to call many calendars of cases and go to trial before Judge Dean E. Ochiai in the District Courts of the First Circuit. After court, Judge Ochiai liked to talk to me and other attorneys about law or life in general. One time, he even helped me pack my boxes of cases in Waianae District Court. I consider Judge Ochiai a role model for attorneys, future judges, and future leaders of Hawaii and our country.
JON RIKI KARAMATSU 