Senate Judiciary Committee consents to two judicial nominees

The Senate Committee on Judiciary consented to two judicial appointments during a brief session Tuesday, voting to confirm a circuit court nominee for Hawaii County and a family court nominee for Maui County.

The committee consented to Governor's Message (GM) 7067, submitting “Illinois A. D. Jackson” for confirmation as a circuit court judge of the Third Circuit (Hawaii County) for a 10-year term. The committee also consented to Judiciary Communication 28, submitting Sonia H. Toma for confirmation as a judge of the District Family Court of the Second Circuit (Maui County) for a six-year term.

Both confirmations were adopted on voice votes after the committee chair recommended consent. The roll call recorded Chair Rhodes and Senators Chang and San Buenaventura voting in the affirmative; several members were marked excused during the votes.

Committee staff said they reviewed court records and found nothing they considered disqualifying for the family court nominee, Sonia H. Toma, and described her conduct in earlier matters as consistent with that of a competent attorney.

The votes were procedural consents on nominations; the committee did not engage in extended debate on either nominee. No amendments or conditions were attached to the consents recorded in the transcript.

The confirmations advance the nominees to their respective posts and clear the committee-level step in the confirmation process. The transcript does not specify subsequent steps, such as full Senate floor scheduling or effective start dates for either appointment.

Chair Rhodes recessed the committee briefly between the confirmations and the subsequent agenda item.