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Courts in the Community: Hawaiʻi Supreme Court Holds its First Oral Argument at Kailua High School

Hawaiʻi Supreme Court Associate Justice Lisa M. Ginoza, Associate Justice Sabrina S. McKenna, Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald, Associate Justice Todd W. Eddins, and Associate Justice Vladimir P. Devens sitting at the court’s bench in the Kailua High School gymnasium. On the left, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Brian R. Vincent faces them from the podium. Courts in the Community, April 26, 2024.

From left: Hawaiʻi Supreme Court Associate Justice Lisa M. Ginoza, Associate Justice Sabrina S. McKenna, Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald, Associate Justice Todd W. Eddins, and Associate Justice Vladimir P. Devens listen as Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Brian R. Vincent presents his arguments during Courts in the Community at the Kailua High School gymnasium, April 26, 2024.

KAILUA, Hawaiʻi – The Hawaiʻi Supreme Court convened April 26, 2024 at Kailua High School, giving more than 300 students the opportunity to observe oral argument in an actual case.

Students from Kailua High School, Kalāheo High School, McKinley High School, Le Jardin Academy, and Pūʻōhala School attended as part of the Judiciary’s Courts in the Community outreach program.

They watched attorneys representing both parties present their legal arguments in SCWC-21-0000679, State of Hawai‘i vs. Charles Tung Ming Yuen. The case involves a defendant who is alleged to have rear-ended another car 50 feet outside of the O’Malley Gate at Hickam Air Force Base and was arrested for operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant (“OVUII”).

Oral argument was followed by two question-and-answer sessions for the students – one with the attorneys and another with the five justices.

“Today was our 20th Courts in the Community event since February 2012, when the Supreme Court convened at Farrington High School,” said Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald. “Since then, the program has provided more than 6,000 students, teachers, administrators, and members of the public the chance to observe oral argument in a real case. This would not have been possible without the support of the many HSBA members and staff who have given of their time and expertise to help Hawaiʻi’s next generation of leaders gain a clearer understanding of our system of justice.”

“I would like to extend a special mahalo to the teachers, the Hawaii State Bar Association, the Hawaii State Bar Foundation, and all the volunteer attorneys who helped make this happen. These invaluable partnerships are what make the program a success,” added Chief Justice Recktenwald.

The Hawaii State Bar Association (HSBA) and the Hawaii State Bar Foundation generously provided the students with lunches and transportation.

“Thank you to our attorneys who volunteered their time to learn the case and visit participating classrooms to engage with students,” said HSBA President Jesse Souki. “Their efforts have inspired future leaders and stirred a healthy curiosity judging by student’s comments and questions after oral arguments.”

The proceedings were livestreamed on the Hawaiʻi State Judiciary’s YouTube channel (youtube.com/hawaiicourts) and broadcast live on ʻŌlelo Community Media Television 54 (https://olelo.org). 

Courts in the Community is a hands-on civics education initiative. It gives students the opportunity to study the important legal issues in a pending court case to enhance their understanding of the Judiciary’s role in government, and how it resolves disputes in our democracy.

To prepare for the case, students studied a curriculum developed by the Kamehameha V Judiciary History Center and the Students for Public Outreach and Civic Education of the University of Hawaiʻi’s William S. Richardson School of Law. Attorneys from the HSBA volunteered their time and facilitated a moot court activity where students had an opportunity to argue the case themselves.

 

Courts in the Community is the Hawaii Supreme Court’s educational outreach program that gives high school students unique, hands-on experience in how the Hawaii judicial system works.

Under the Courts in the Community program, the full, five-member court travels to Hawaii high schools to hear oral argument in an actual case.

The event begins with remarks welcoming the audience and explaining the format of the proceedings. The court will hear one oral argument during the visit. At the conclusion of the argument, the justices depart the room so that the students may discuss the case with the participating lawyers. The lawyers leave the room at the end of their session and the justices return to answer non-case related questions from the students. The entire visit generally lasts about two to three hours.

Prior to the court convening on a campus, students have the opportunity to learn about the judicial system and the appellate process using a curriculum developed by the Kamehameha V Judiciary History Center and the Students for Public Outreach and Civic Education of the University of Hawaii’s William S. Richardson School of Law. The students also participate in a moot court exercise involving the actual case that will be argued when the court comes to campus. The Hawaii State Bar Association has been providing financial support for students participating in the program. The moot court activity is facilitated by volunteer lawyers or law school students.

 

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Contact Information

For more information, call Matt Mattice at 808-539-4999 or email him at matt@jhchawaii.net. To request a judge to speak to students in your class, call Justin Fuertes at 808-539-4999.