The WHBA Board met on May 12th at the Keahuolū Courthouse Self-Help Center and presented the 2023 WHBA Scholarship Award to Noa Riznyk. Noa is graduating from West Hawai`i Explorations Academy and will be attending the University of Nevada at Reno next fall. We wish Noa the best as he sets out to further his education. The Board also finalized plans to implement the sharing of the 3rd Division Circuit Court calendars, as part of a pilot project with Judge Robert Kim. More details will follow soon. The Board is working on a general website for the WHBA and will look to approve funding for the website at next month's meeting. The Board also approved a new WHBA logo, as the old logo was dated and in need of updating. Unfortunately due to scheduling conflicts, the planned 704 CLE and Seminar tentatively set for July 28 needs to be moved to a later date. The 704 CLE and Seminar will now be held on September 1, 2023. Details will follow soon, but as previously mentioned, the plan is for a multi-agency Seminar, to include CLE credit for attorneys. The focus of the Seminar will be 704 procedures and the newly approved 704 forms. On May 17th the Third Circuit Bench Bar meeting took place via Zoom with Judge Robert Kim, and many topics were discussed, including those forwarded by WHBA members. Judge Kim indicated that the courts will try to work with private, appointed criminal defense counsel to accommodate those attorneys called to appear on short notice for hearings involving their clients, including by allowing attorneys to appear via Zoom. Judge Kim also addressed concerns about the low hourly pay rate for court-appointments generally, and he encouraged the WHBA and HCBA to reach out to the legislature and advocate for rate increases. The WHBA and HCBA plan to work together to advocate for increases in the hourly rates for appointed attorneys in next year's legislative session. Judge Kim also has shared vendor information with the WHBA to facilitate installing wifi access in the Kona courthouse. The information provided includes prior quotes for the cost of such a service, as well as the process the WHBA would have to follow to get approval for the installation of the service. Any wifi service for attorneys at the courthouse would have to be paid for by the WHBA, so the Board will continue to look into the issue and share what we find with the membership. Finally, Judge Kim also wanted to share that all Hawai`i Correctional System Oversight Committee meetings are open to the public. These meetings are accessible via Zoom. Those practicing criminal law are encouraged to attend. The following link includes information on their meeting dates and times, as well as the Zoom ID for their meetings: https://hcsoc.hawaii.gov/information/ On May 18th, WHBA members gathered together for a pau hana at Humpy's in Kona. It was a fun evening, and the event was well attended. All WHBA members are encouraged to come out for our future meetings and pau hana events, as they are a great opportunity to meet and unwind with your fellow attorneys. The WHBA's next general meeting and pau hana will take place on June 22, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. at The View restaurant in Keauhou (Kona Country Club).
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