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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Thursday, April 15, 2004

Senate endorses judicial nominees

Advertiser Staff

Gov. Linda Lingle's nomination of city attorney Alexa Fujise to the Intermediate Court of Appeals won the endorsement of the Senate Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committee yesterday.

The committee also endorsed Lingle's nomination of District Court Judge Bert Ayabe to the Circuit Court.

As is customary in judicial confirmation hearings, Fujise and Ayabe received overwhelming testimony supporting their nominations. Their appointments now go to the Senate floor for a confirmation vote.

If confirmed, Fujise will fill the second of two new positions on the intermediate appellate court, bringing the number of judges to six. Lingle appointed and the Senate confirmed Craig H. Nakamura to fill the fifth position earlier this year.

The addition of two judges to the intermediate court is expected to ease the appellate case backlog, which has been a subject of criticism of the Hawai'i Supreme Court and the Intermediate Court of Appeals.

Fujise, who has headed the appellate research branch for the city prosecutor's office, pointed to her experience as an advocate before the court and her service on the appellate rules committee.

"I think I understand the workings of the court as well and have been working with the individual judges and justices during that process, so I think I understand what it takes to move the cases forward," she said.

Ayabe was named to the District Court last year. Before that he was a private attorney specializing in personal injury and commercial litigation, arbitration and mediation. He also was a partner with the law firm Hisaka Furusho Ayabe & Goto.