Lahaina fire cases remanded back to Maui state court, Maui attorney lauds decision

Federal Judge Jill A. Otake issued a written decision on certain plaintiffs’ motions to remand some 90 Lahaina fire cases back to the state court on Maui. 

Maui attorney Jan K. Apo, who is representing hundreds of families impacted by the August 2023 Maui wildfires, lauded Monday’s federal court decision, calling it “a huge victory for Maui fire victims and quite frankly for all of Maui.” Apo, who grew up in Lahaina, and whose family home where he was raised, was also destroyed in the fires said, “These survivors will now get their day in Court, here on Maui, in front of Maui judges and Maui juries.”

Apo launched a HECO lawsuit last year to support wildfire victims. He is a partner with Apo, Reck & Kusachi and serves on the Liaison Committee overseeing a lawsuit against Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc., Hawaiʻi Electric Light Company, Inc. along with other defendants.

Apo called the effort to move the cases to Honolulu a “delay tactic,” and said the return of cases to Maui, means he can get back to the business of seeking justice for Maui clients, who he said “desperately deserve it.”

The state court judge in these cases is the Honorable Judge Peter Cahill, who has been holding regular status conferences on the Upcountry fire cases that were not removed. At his March 8 status conference, Judge Cahill reportedly entered additional organizational case management orders and stated that he is ready to issue trial dates later this year for the Kula Fire cases.

“With the remand of the rest of the cases now in process, we expect that Judge Cahill will move quickly to establish the first trial dates for the Lahaina fire cases also,” said Apo, noting he will be ready when the trial dates arrive.

*Maui Now reached out for a comment from Hawaiian Electric Company. This story may be updated later to include the requested response.