Fa'auuga To'oto'o
Ballotpedia provides comprehensive election coverage of the 100 largest cities in America by population as well as mayoral, city council, and district attorney election coverage in state capitals outside of the 100 largest cities. This judge is outside of that coverage scope and does not receive scheduled updates.
Do you have a photo that could go here? Click here to submit it for this profile!
2030
Fa'auuga To'oto'o is an O`ahu First Circuit Court judge, and a former First Circuit District Court judge of Hawaii. He was appointed for his current seat in 2010 by Gov. Linda Lingle and approved by the Hawaii Senate. He was reappointed to a second ten-year term in July 2020.[1][2][3][4][5]
Education
To'oto'o attended Warren Wilson College in North Carolina and then transferred Missouri Valley College in Missouri, where he earned a B.A. He earned a J.D. from Saint Louis University School of Law.[4][6]
Career
From 1994 until his appointment, To'oto'o was a judge on the O'ahu First Circuit District Court. For the ten years prior to that he was a deputy prosecutor in the Prosecuting Attorney's Office of the City and County of Honolulu.[4][6]
Awards and associations
Past associations include:
- Director on the Board of the Kaneohe Cultural Foundation
- Member of the Board of Directors of Palama Settlement[4]
Confirmation process
During his confirmation, it was unusually noted that the Hawaii State Bar Association Board of Directors found To'oto'o to be "not qualified." However, the board refused to cite reasons for the determination under its rules of anonymity. Despite this, the Hawaii Senate Committee on Judiciary and Government Operations gave its consent for the appointment, stating that To'oto'o was already a proven judge, and had even served as a replacement First Circuit Judge on several occasions. To'oto'o, himself, stated "the State Bar Association has found me 'not qualified' for Circuit Court. However, they gave me no explanation, nothing. When I find a defendant not guilty or guilty in my court, I always give an explanation. If this is their process, then I accept it and we move on. But I am truly disappointed." He also noted that he had been found qualified to serve as a judge by the Judicial Selection Commission on four separate occasions. The Senate unanimously approved his appointment.[4][6]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Samoa News, "Hawaii Judge Toʻotoʻo appointed to another 10-year Circuit Court term," July 13, 2020
- ↑ Hawaii State Judiciary, "Press Release: Chief Justice Seeks Public Comment On Judicial Nominees," March 8, 2011
- ↑ Hawaii State Judiciary, "First Circuit (Oahu) Judges Telephone Listing," accessed April 27, 2015
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Hawaii State Legislature, "RE: Gov. Msg. No. 147," 2000
- ↑ Hawaii State Legislature, "GM3, Submitting for consideration and confirmation to the Circuit Court of the First Circuit…," August 6, 2010
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Hawaii Reporter, "Humble Beginnings, Proud Heritage: From Childhood in American Samoa to the Court House in Hawaii," August 3, 2010
Federal courts:
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of Hawaii • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of Hawaii
State courts:
Hawaii Supreme Court • Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals • Hawaii Circuit Courts • Hawaii District Courts • Hawaii Family Courts
State resources:
Courts in Hawaii • Hawaii judicial elections • Judicial selection in Hawaii
