Governor Linda Lingle today released a list of six judicial nominees that was provided to her by the Judicial Selection Commission to fill the vacancy on the Hawai'i State Supreme Court created by the retirement of Associate Justice Steven Levinson.

In a news release, Lingle said she was making the list available to the public to encourage public comment on the nominees.

The nominees are:

Daniel R. Foley – Associate judge, Intermediate Court of Appeals. Prior experience: Adjunct professor of civil rights, University of Hawaii; partner, Partington & Foley; legal director, ACLU Hawaii; legal counsel to various Micronesia government bodies.

Sabrina S. McKenna – Judge, Circuit Court of the First Circuit. Prior experience: Judge, District Court of the First Circuit; assistant professor, University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law; instructor in business law, University of Hawaii College of Business; corporate secretary and general counsel, Otaka, Inc.; associate, Goodsill Anderson Quinn & Stifel.

Craig H. Nakamura – Associate judge, Intermediate Court of Appeals. Prior experience: Assistant United States attorney; adjunct professor, University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law; law clerk, Judge Herbert Choy, U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit.

Steven M. Nakashima – Marr, Hipp, Jones & Pepper. Prior experience: District judge, District Court of the First Circuit; Goodsill, Anderson, Quinn & Stifel; law clerk, U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit; law clerk, attorney general, State of Hawai'i; law clerk, attorney general, State of Oregon.

Mark E. Recktenwald – Chief judge, Intermediate Court of Appeals. Prior experience: Director, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs; assistant United States attorney; partner, Marr Hipp Jones & Wang; associate, Goodsill Anderson Quinn & Stifel; law clerk, Chief Judge Harold Fong, U.S. District Court.

Frances Q. F. Wong – Judge, Circuit Court of the First Circuit. Prior experience: Judge, District Family Court; partner, Hall & Wong; associate, Edmunds Hall & Weinberg; associate, Hart Leavitt Hall & Hunt.

Lingle has 30 days from receipt of the list (January 20, 2009) to make her selection.

Public comments on the nominees may be sent via e-mail to Governor.Lingle@hawaii.gov or by fax at 808-586-0006. All comments should be submitted by the close of business on Friday, January 30, 2009.