The District and District Family Courts statewide are accepting applications from attorneys interested in serving as per diem judges.
Per diem judges are part-time judicial officers appointed by the Chief Justice on an as-needed basis to preside in the District Court or District Family Court. The application form for these judges is posted on the Hawai‘i State Judiciary website.
Those interested in applying on the Big Island, an original and three copies of a completed application should be mailed or hand-delivered to:
Third Circuit (Kona, Hilo, South Kohala)
Honorable Wendy DeWeese, Chair
Committee to Evaluate Qualifications of Per Diem Judges
74-5451 Kamakaʻeha Avenue
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
An additional copy should be mailed or hand-delivered to the Chief Justice:
Chief Justice Vladimir P. Devens
Supreme Court of Hawaiʻi
417 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96813
Applicants must be residents and citizens of both the State of Hawaiʻi and of the United States and must have been licensed to practice law by the Supreme Court of Hawaiʻi for at least five years immediately preceding their application, according to the Hawai‘i Constitution.
The Commission on Judicial Conduct has issued a formal opinion providing that a per diem judge, as well as the judge’s law partners and associates, may not practice before the court to which the per diem judge is assigned. The Hawaiʻi Constitution further provides that government employees (federal, state, or county) are not eligible to serve as per diem judges.
After an application is submitted, qualified nominees are interviewed by the Committee to Evaluate Qualifications of Per Diem Judges, which then forwards its recommendation to the Chief Justice for consideration. An individual may begin serving as a per diem judge only after the Chief Justice has issued an order of appointment and the oath of office has been administered.
During their term of service, per diem judges may continue to engage in the private practice of law, subject to the limitations described above.
Compensation is paid only for days which judicial services are actually rendered and is based on the monthly salary of a District Court judge.
