2024 Jurist of the Year and Judiciary Employees Honored

HONOLULU - First Circuit (Oʻahu) Deputy Chief Judge Melanie Mito May was presented today with the 2024 Jurist of the Year Award by Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald at the Judiciary's Statewide Employee Awards Ceremony.

"Judge May was appointed to the District Court in 2011 and became the Deputy Chief Judge in 2019," said Chief Justice Recktenwald. "Her steadfast leadership was critical in helping District Court navigate the many challenges we faced during the pandemic, which included implementing remote hearings to ensure access to the court. Since then, over 300,000 remote hearings have been conducted in the District Court of the First Circuit.

"Judge May has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to access to justice and to improving the lives of all those who come into our courts. This is evident in her work as the current Co-Chair of the Committee of Innovation, Technology, and Self-Represented Litigants, coordinating efforts to increase access to justice, and in the three years she served as the presiding judge for the DWI Court Program, focusing on the rehabilitation of individuals diagnosed with substance use challenges.

"In addition, over the years she has played a key role in developing and supporting other collaborative projects, such as Community Outreach Court and the Re-Employment and Community Service Program in partnership with Volunteer Legal Services Hawaiʻi, which have had a positive impact on the community."

Click here to view Deputy Chief Judge May's Jurist of the Year proclamation.

The Jurist of the Year is selected annually by the Chief Justice from nominations submitted by Hawaiʻi attorneys and Judiciary personnel. The award recognizes a full-time trial judge who exhibits exceptional judicial competence, evidenced by decisional quality; significant extra-judicial contributions to the administration of justice; and active participation in public service to the community at large.

The Judiciary also presented individual and group awards to employees who have distinguished themselves through exceptional service and accomplishments. The recipients of this year's awards are:

Distinguished Service Award (the Judiciary's highest employee award): Natalie Ragmat, Supervisor, Legal Documents Branch 2, Section 2, Honolulu District Court.

Meritorious Service Award: Terri Lynn Lum, Program Director, East Hawai'i Children's Justice Center.

Group Meritorious Service Award: Fifth Circuit (Kauaʻi) Facilities Management Unit Groundskeepers Brian Peters and Jonah Santos.

Spirit of the Judiciary Award: Katherine I. Patricio, Supervisor, Supervision Section II, Adult Client Services Branch, Second Circuit (Maui County); and Miguel Amadis, Court Operations Specialist, Office of Court Administration - Kona, Third Circuit (Hawaiʻi island).

Certificate of Commendation: Michal "Miki" Popadic, IT Technician, Information Technology Support Office, Third Circuit - Hilo.

Group Certificate of Commendation: Girls Court Program Staff, Juvenile Client Services Branch, First Circuit Family Court: Supervisor Valerie Lazo; Social Workers Tia Ikeno, Jeanette Choy, and Christiana Machida.

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.