Lingle appoints attorney as judge on court of appeals

By Lynda Arakawa
Advertiser Capitol Bureau

Attorney Alexa Fujise, who has focused on appellate issues for the city prosecutor's office, was named to the Intermediate Court of Appeals by Gov. Linda Lingle today.

Fujise has served with the Honolulu prosecuting attorney's office since 1984, where she currently is director of the Research and Reference Support Division. She has also headed the appellate research branch and served as deputy prosecuting attorney.

Fujise would fill a new judge position on the Intermediate Court of Appeals. The Legislature created two additional positions on the court, bringing the number of judges on the court to six. Lingle appointed Craig H. Nakamura to fill the fifth position on the court in January, and the state Senate confirmed the nomination.

Fujise was selected from a list of candidates from the Judicial Selection Commission that included Circuit judges Victoria Marks, Richard Perkins, Michael Town and Frances Wong and private attorney Susan Ichinose.

Lingle also announced her appointment of District Court Judge Bert Ayabe to the Circuit Court to fill a vacancy left by Dan Kochi, who retired last year.

Before serving as a District Court judge last year, Ayabe was a private attorney specializing in personal injury and commercial litigation, as well as arbitration and mediation. Ayabe also was a partner with the law firm Hisaka Furusho Ayabe & Goto.

Lingle said she has received "overwhelming" responses from the public supporting Fujise and Ayabe.

"These two people will be outstanding judges," she said. "They will give everyone a fair and objective hearing when they come to court."

Other Circuit Court candidates by the Judicial Selection Commission were District Court judge Gerald Kibe, and attorneys James Hershey, Ronette Kawakami, Dale Lee and Michael Tanigawa.

Reach Lynda Arakawa at larakawa@honoluluadvertiser.com or at 525-8070.