Posted on: Wednesday, August 8, 2001

Bankruptcy judge King retires next year

Advertiser Staff

U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Lloyd King has announced he will retire in February, leaving a vacancy on the court.

King said he does not have any "glamorous" plans or reasons for leaving the bench four years short of the 14-year term but said he will retire Feb. 13, on his 65th birthday.

King began serving as a bankruptcy court judge in San Francisco in 1975 and arrived in Hawai'i's bankruptcy court in 1992.

He declined to answer more specific questions about his tenure as a judge in Hawai'i, saying he strives to maintain a low profile.

But King's name has grown more familiar in recent years among the public, business and legal communities following several high-profile cases involving Liberty House and former Bank of Honolulu Chairman Sukamto Sia.

King said he expects to be recalled to serve as a senior district court judge in bankruptcy court and does not plan to leave Hawai'i.

U.S. assistant trustee Gayle Lau said King will be missed.

"He has been a really excellent judge for our district," Lau said.

"He has tremendous experience and background; he renders solid decisions based on good legal reasoning, and renders these decisions relatively quickly."

The U.S. District Bankruptcy Court judge is part of the federal court system. The position is appointed by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.