Gov. Green considers seven nominees for four judicial vacancies

Governor Josh Green, M.D., will name four judges to fill vacancies on the Circuit Court of the First Circuit (O‘ahu), from a list of seven nominees he received from the Judicial Selection Commission.

The vacancies resulted from the retirements of Circuit Judge Jeffery P. Crabtree in January 2024, Circuit Judge Robert M. Browning in December 2023, Circuit Judge and Edward H. Kubo, Jr. in December 2019. A fourth vacancy will occur in June 2024 with the retirement of Circuit Judge Gary W.B. Chang.

The Judicial Selection Commission provided the list of nominees to the governor after a thorough review of the backgrounds and qualifications of all applicants.

The nominees are as follows:

• Lance David Collins, attorney and president/principal, Law Office of Lance D. Collins
• Rebecca A. Copeland, a district family court judge with the state of Hawai‘i First Circuit
• Brian Alexander Costa, a district family court judge with the state of Hawai‘i
• Harvey Michael Demetrakopoulos an attorney with Shim & Chang practicing personal injury litigation.
• Timothy Eric Ho, a judge in the District Court of the First Circuit, state of Hawai‘i
• Dyan Marie Medeiros, a district family court judge in Family Court of the First Circuit, state of Hawai‘i
• Steven Richard Nichols, deputy public defender, Felony Division Supervisor, Office of the Public Defender

The public is invited to provide comments on the nominees via the governor’s website: https://governor.hawaii.gov/contact-us/contact-the-governor/. 

The governor has 30 days from his receipt of the list on May 3, 2024, until Monday June 3, 2024, to make his appointment. The nominations are subject to confirmation by the state Senate.