Mark Recktenwald, the chief judge of the state Intermediate Court of Appeals, was confirmed yesterday by the state Senate as an associate justice on the Hawai'i Supreme Court.

Recktenwald will replace former Associate Justice Steven Levinson, who retired last year. Recktenwald is a former assistant U.S. attorney who also served as the director of the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs under Gov. Linda Lingle. He has led the appeals court for the past two years.

Recktenwald is the second justice on the five-member Supreme Court nominated by Lingle, after Associate Justice James Duffy.

"I am honored and humbled to have this opportunity to serve," Recktenwald said.

The Senate voted 22-0 to confirm Recktenwald, with three senators excused.

State Sen. Brian Taniguchi, D-10th (Manoa, McCully), chairman of the Senate Judiciary and Government Operations Committee, said the testimony at Recktenwald's confirmation hearing was overwhelmingly positive and that the Hawai'i State Bar Association rated him qualified for the position.

"We are convinced that he will serve well in his capacity as an associate justice," Taniguchi said.

State Sen. Sam Slom, R-8th (Kahala, Hawai'i Kai), noted how people at the hearing who knew Recktenwald in the government and legal communities shared observations about his fairness, leadership ability and work ethic.

"In short, Mark Recktenwald is the real deal," Slom said. "He possess all of the qualities that many of us would like to strive for and attain."

Recktenwald graduated from the University of Chicago Law School and Harvard University.