Carlsmith Partner Blaine Kobayashi Appointed Maui District Court Judge

NEWS RELEASE: HAWAII STATE JUDICIARY-PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE

For Media Release: August 4, 2010

Carlsmith Partner Blaine Kobayashi Appointed Maui District Court Judge

Chief Justice Ronald T. Y. Moon appointed Blaine J. Kobayashi as judge
of the District Court of the Second Circuit (islands of Maui, Lanai and
Molokai). Kobayashi fills the vacancy created by the expiration of the
term of Judge Simone Polak.

A partner with the Carlsmith Ball law firm on Maui, Kobayashi has
represented individual and corporate clients in various legal matters
involving land use, litigation and administrative law since 2003. He
previously served as a Deputy Corporation Counsel on Maui, as well as
Deputy County Attorney and Deputy Prosecuting Attorney on Kauai. He
received his law degree from the University of Oregon Law School in
1991.

The chief justice appoints District Court judges from a list of not less
than six nominees submitted by the Judicial Selection Commission.

Kobayashi's appointment is subject to confirmation by the State Senate.

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Media contact: Marsha Kitagawa, Public Affairs Office 539-4909