Thursday, December 24, 2009
Now seven Hawaii female judges have announced early retirement. Again, we ask, Why?
by Larry Geller
Yesterday we asked, If one female judge in Hawaii were retiring, it would hardly be worth a comment. If two announce early retirement, it’s a bit of a concern. When three announce retirement, it’s "What’s going on here???"
On Wednesday, the seventh female judge, Karen Radius, whose term of office was not due to expire until December, 2012, announced her early retirement [Honolulu Advertiser, 12/23/2009].
Well, it’s not three, it’s seven already. So I ask: "HEY—WHAT’S GOING ON HERE??" in capital letters. This appears to be a mass exodus of female judges from the Hawaii bench.
Wednesday’s article in the Honolulu Advertiser follows a similar report Tuesday (Hifo, Hirai to step down, 12/22/2009) that counted six female judges retiring. Only two male judges are retiring, one already retired and Judge Moon, who will reach the state’s mandatory retirement age.
All will be replaced by appointments made by lame duck Republican governor Linda Lingle.
Both stories by Advertiser court reporter Jim Dooley leave a critical question unanswered: Why this sudden exodus of female jurists in Hawaii?
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