Attorney General of Hawaii

Loio Kuhina

Incumbent
Anne E. Lopez

since December 5, 2022

Department of the Attorney General
Type| Chief legal officer and chief law enforcement officer
Appointer| Governor of Hawaii
Formation| February 27, 1844
First holder| John Ricord

Politics of Hawaii

Constitution

* United States Constitution

* Hawaii Constitution

Executive

* Governor Josh Green (D)

* * *

* Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke (D)

* Attorney General Anne E. Lopez (D)

Legislature

* Hawaii Senate

* President of the Senate Ron Kouchi (D)

* Majority Leader Dru Kanuha (D)

* Minority Leader Brenton Awa (R)

* * *

* House of Representatives

* Speaker Nadine Nakamura (D)
* Majority Leader Sean Quinlan (D)
* Minority Leader Lauren Matsumoto (R)

Judiciary

* Hawaii State Supreme Court

* Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald

* Justice Sabrina S. McKenna
* Justice Todd W. Eddins
* Justice Lisa M. Ginoza
* Justice Vladimir P. Devens

* * *

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* United States Senators

* Brian Schatz (D)
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* * *

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* 1: Ed Case (D)
* 2: Jill Tokuda (D)

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The attorney general of Hawaii (Hawaiian: Loio Kuhina) is the chief legal officer and chief law enforcement officer of Hawaii. In present-day statehood within the United States, the attorney general is appointed by the elected governor with the approval of the state senate and is responsible for a state department charged with advising the various other departments and agencies of state government. The attorney general is responsible for the prosecution of offenses under state law. The attorney general can only be removed by an act of the state senate. In rare occasions, the attorney general serves as acting governor in the absence of both the governor and lieutenant governor from the state for an extended period of time.

The office has existed in several forms throughout the history of the Hawaiian Islands. It was created by Kamehameha III and was part of the administration of each successive monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii. The office was kept in the provisional government, after Liliuokalani and the monarchy was overthrown, and became a part of the succeeding administration of the Republic of Hawaii. A regular part of the American model of the executive branch of government, the office of attorney general was part of the Territory of Hawaii under Section 80 of the Hawaiian Organic Act and made an appointed office after statehood was achieved in 1959.

Though a non-partisan office, in territorial days the office of attorney general was traditionally appointed from the political party of the sitting president of the United States who appointed the territorial governor. Similarly in statehood, the office of attorney general has traditionally been appointed from the incumbent governor's political party, thus far Republican or Democratic.

The current attorney general is Anne E. Lopez, who was appointed by Governor Josh Green. The Hawaii Senate confirmed Lopez's nomination on December 5, 2022.[1]

## Agencies

[edit]

The attorney general leads a department of 180 attorneys and 500 professional and support personnel. The department oversees various public services. These include administering the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center, running the Missing Child Center, Child Support Enforcement Agency, Hawaii Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Hawaii Internet and Technology Crimes Unit, Office of Child Support Hearings, Tobacco Enforcement Unit, among others.[2] In accordance with Chapter 846E of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, the Criminal Justice Data Center maintains a registry of sex offenders in the state.[3] Likewise, the agency provides other criminal history information through the statewide criminal history record information system and Automated Fingerprint Identification System.[4]

## History

[edit]

### Origins

[edit]

Prussian-born Paul Neumann served as attorney general of Hawaii under Liliuokalani. In Washington, D.C., he argued against the overthrow of the monarchy. He later defended the deposed queen in trial for misprision of treason. She was convicted. William Owen Smith (third from left) was attorney general of the provisional government and succeeding Republic of Hawaii. From left to right: Interior Minister James A. King, President Sanford B. Dole, Smith, Finance Minister Peter Cushman Jones. Herbert Young Cho Choy served as a territorial attorney general. He was the first Korean American to be admitted to the bar and the first Asian American to serve as federal judge. During his tenure on the U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, there were no other Asians sitting on any federal bench.

John Ricord served as the first attorney general of Hawaii. He arrived in the Kingdom on February 27, 1844, on the Columbia. He was the first Western-trained lawyer in the islands.[5][6] The previous year a land dispute by Richard Charlton led to a British occupation known as the Paulet Affair. A related case of Ladd & Co. required lengthy arbitration. These cases would consume his entire time on the islands.[7] Within a few weeks he swore allegiance to Kamehameha III and on March 9, 1844, was appointed first attorney general. In July 1845 he joined the Privy Council.[8] On October 29, 1845, the executive branch of the government was formally organized through legislation he proposed. On May 17, 1847, he resigned all his offices, and on June 12 was released from his oath of allegiance, so he could resume his citizenship of the United States.[8] He left August 19, 1847.[9] The office of attorney general was suspended until the 1860s.[10] His work on organizing the courts was taken over by the second trained attorney to arrive in the islands, William Little Lee.

### Revival

[edit]

On August 26, 1862, Kamehameha IV revived the office and appointed Charles Coffin Harris as attorney general.[11] Having an attorney general proved useful on constitutional matters. Kamehameha V insisted on a new constitution that would restore some of the power to the monarchy that had been lost over time. Harris issued his legal opinion that the king had such a right and produced an early draft. A constitutional convention failed to reach agreement, so Harris got the cabinet to negotiate directly with Kamehameha V leading to the promulgation of the 1864 Constitution.[12]

### Controversies

[edit]

A more modern controversy happened with the failed 1998 confirmation by the state senate of popular sitting attorney general Margery Bronster, as political payback for her actions to reform the corrupt Kamehameha Schools/Bishop Estate whose trustees were friends of various powerful legislators, many Hawaiʻi residents called for the right to elect the attorney general. Several attempts failed to create the constitutional amendment.

## List of attorneys general

[edit]

The attorneys general with dates of service:[11]

### Kingdom of Hawaii

[edit]

Name  | Portrait  | Term start  | Term end  | Monarch(s) served under

|
|
|
|

John Ricord |  | March 9, 1844  | May 17, 1847  | Kamehameha III
Charles Coffin Harris |  | August 26, 1862  | December 21, 1865  | Kamehameha IV
Charles Coffin Harris (Acting) | March 26, 1866  | September 12, 1866  | Kamehameha V
Stephen Henry Phillips |  | September 12, 1866  | January 10, 1873  | Kamehameha V
Albert Francis Judd |  | January 13, 1873  | February 19, 1874  | Lunalilo
Alfred S. Hartwell |  | February 18, 1874  | May 28, 1874  | Kalākaua
Richard H. Stanley |  | May 28, 1874  | November 5, 1875  | Kalākaua
John Smith Walker (ad interim) |  | November 5, 1875  | February 15, 1876  | Kalākaua
William Richards Castle |  | February 15, 1876  | December 5, 1876  | Kalākaua
Alfred S. Hartwell |  | December 5, 1876  | July 3, 1878  | Kalākaua
Edward Preston |  | July 13, 1878  | August 14, 1880  | Kalākaua
W. Claude Jones |  | August 14, 1880  | September 27, 1880  | Kalākaua
John Smith Walker (ad interim) |  | September 27, 1880  | November 29, 1880  | Kalākaua
William Nevins Armstrong |  | November 29, 1880  | January 17, 1881  | Kalākaua
Henry A. P. Carter (Acting) |  | January 17, 1881  | November 5, 1881  | Kalākaua
William Nevins Armstrong |  | November 5, 1881  | May 19, 1882  | Kalākaua
Edward Preston |  | May 19, 1882  | May 14, 1883  | Kalākaua
Walter M. Gibson (Acting) |  | May 14, 1883  | December 14, 1883  | Kalākaua
Paul Neumann |  | December 14, 1883  | June 30, 1886  | Kalākaua
Walter M. Gibson (Acting) |  | September 18, 1884; August 3, 1885  | September 18, 1884; August 3, 1885  | Kalākaua
John T. Dare |  | July 1, 1886  | October 13, 1886  | Kalākaua
John Lot Kaulukou |  | October 13, 1886  | October 23, 1886  | Kalākaua
Luther Aholo (ad interim)[13] |  | October 23, 1886  | November 14, 1886  | Kalākaua
Antone Rosa |  | November 15, 1886  | June 28, 1887  | Kalākaua
Clarence W. Ashford |  | July 1, 1887  | June 14, 1890  | Kalākaua
Lorrin A. Thurston (Acting) |  | November 22, 1889  | November 22, 1889  | Kalākaua
Arthur P. Peterson |  | June 17, 1890  | February 25, 1891  | Kalākaua
William A. Whiting |  | February 25, 1891  | July 27, 1892  | Liliʻuokalani
Hermann A. Widemann (ad interim)[14] |  | July 27, 1892  | August 29, 1892  | Liliʻuokalani
Paul Neumann |  | August 29, 1892  | August 30, 1892  | Liliʻuokalani
September 12, 1892  | October 17, 1892  | Liliʻuokalani
Charles F. Creighton |  | November 1, 1892  | November 8, 1892  | Liliʻuokalani
Cecil Brown |  | November 8, 1892  | January 12, 1893  | Liliʻuokalani
Arthur P. Peterson |  | January 13, 1893  | January 17, 1893  | Liliʻuokalani

### Republic of Hawaii

[edit]

Name  | Portrait  | Term start  | Term end

|
|
|

William Owen Smith |  | January 17, 1893  | October 25, 1895
Francis March Hatch (ad interim) |  | October 25, 1895  | November 6, 1895
Henry E. Cooper (ad interim) |  | November 6, 1895  | December 13, 1895
William Owen Smith |  | December 13, 1895  | February 10, 1897
Henry E. Cooper (ad interim) |  | February 10, 1897  | April 16, 1897
William Owen Smith |  | April 16, 1897  | March 20, 1899

### Territory of Hawaii

[edit]

Name  | Portrait  | Term start  | Term end  | Territorial governor(s) served under

|
|
|
|

Henry Ernest Cooper |  | March 20, 1899  | June 14, 1900  | \-
Edmund Pearson Dole |  | June 14, 1900  | February 1, 1903  | Sanford B. Dole
Lorrin Andrews
(grandson of missionary Lorrin Andrews) |  | February 1, 1903  | November 21, 1905  | George R. Carter
Emil C. Peters  |  | November 21, 1905  | August 15, 1907  | George R. Carter
Charles R. Hemenway  |  | August 15, 1907  | January 30, 1910  | Walter F. Frear
Alexander Lindsay Jr. |  | January 30, 1910  | December 31, 1912  | Walter F. Frear
Wade Warren Thayer  |  | January 1, 1913  | April 16, 1914  | Walter F. Frear

Lucius E. Pinkham

Ingram M. Stainback |  | April 17, 1914  | April 18, 1918  | Lucius E. Pinkham
Arthur G. Smith  |  | April 18, 1918  | August 30, 1918  | Lucius E. Pinkham

Charles J. McCarthy

Harry Irwin  |  | August 30, 1918  | August 31, 1922  | Charles J. McCarthy

Wallace Rider Farrington

John A. Matthewman  |  | September 1, 1922  | March 26, 1925  | Wallace Rider Farrington
William B. Lymer  |  | March 27, 1925  | June 20, 1928  | Wallace Rider Farrington
Harry P. Hewitt  |  | June 21, 1928  | April 30, 1934  | Wallace Rider Farrington

Lawrence M. Judd

William B. Pittman  |  | May 1, 1934  | December 20, 1936  | Lawrence M. Judd

Joseph Poindexter

Joseph V. Hodgson Acting |  | February 15, 1935  | February 15, 1935  | Joseph Poindexter
S. B. Kemp  |  | January 2, 1937  | June 30, 1938  | Joseph Poindexter
Joseph V. Hodgson  |  | July 1, 1938  | June 7, 1942  | Joseph Poindexter
Ernest K. Kai  |  | June 8, 1942  | October 4, 1942  | Joseph Poindexter

Ingram Stainback

J. Garner Anthony  |  | October 4, 1942  | December 31, 1943  | Ingram Stainback
Cyrus Nils Tavares |  | January 1, 1944  | June 30, 1947  | Ingram Stainback
Rhoda Valentine Lewis Acting |  | July 1, 1947  | October 13, 1947  | Ingram Stainback
Walter D. Ackerman Jr.  |  | October 14, 1947  | February 29, 1952  | Ingram Stainback

Oren E. Long

Michiro Watanabe  |  | March 1, 1952  | March 2, 1953  | Oren E. Long

Samuel Wilder King

Edward N. Sylva  |  | March 3, 1953  | November 14, 1956  | Samuel Wilder King
Richard K. Sharpless  |  | November 15, 1956  | May 7, 1957  | Samuel Wilder King
Shiro Kashiwa |  | May 8, 1957  | June 8, 1957  | Samuel Wilder King
Herbert Young Cho Choy |  | June 13, 1957  | November 30, 1958  | Samuel Wilder King

William F. Quinn

Jack H. Mizuha |  | December 16, 1958  | 1959  | William F. Quinn

### State of Hawaii

[edit]

Attorneys general of the State of Hawaii  Attorney general  | Image  | Term of office  | State governor(s) served under

|
|
|

Jack H. Mizuha |  | 1959  | William F. Quinn
Shiro Kashiwa |  | 1959–1960
Bert Kobayashi |  | 1962–1969  | John A. Burns
Bertram Kanbara  |  | 1969–1971
George T. H. Pai  |  | 1971
Ronald Amemiya  |  | 1974–1978[15] | George Ariyoshi
Wayne Minami  |  | 1978–1981
Tany S. Hong |  | 1981–1984
Michael A. Lilly |  | 1984–1985
Corinne Watanabe |  | 1985–1986
Warren Price, III  |  | 1986–1992  | John D. Waiheʻe III
Robert A. Marks  |  | 1992–1994
1994–1995  | Ben Cayetano
Margery Bronster |  | 1995–1998
Earl I. Anzai |  | 1999–2002
Mark J. Bennett |  | 2003–2010  | Linda Lingle
David M. Louie |  | 2011–2014  | Neil Abercrombie
Russell Suzuki (Acting) |  | 2014–2015  | David Ige
Doug Chin |  | 2015–2018
Russell Suzuki |  | 2018–2019
Clare E. Connors |  | 2019–2021
Holly Shikada |  | 2021–2022
Anne E. Lopez |  | 2022–present  | Josh Green

## See also

[edit]

* Cabinet of the Kingdom of Hawaii

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "New AG on the Block: Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez". Troutman Pepper. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
2. ^ Attorney General's Office
3. ^ Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center Sex Offender Search
4. ^ Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center
5. ^ Jon M. Van Dyke (2008). Who owns the Crown lands of Hawaii?. University of Hawaii Press. p. 34\. ISBN 978-0-8248-3211-7.
6. ^ Frear, Walter F. (1894). "Evolution of the Hawaiian Judiciary". Papers of the Hawaiian Historical Society (7). Honolulu: Hawaiian Historical Society. hdl:10524/966.
7. ^ John Ricord; Stephen H. Williams; James F. B. Marshall (1846). Report of the proceedings and evidence in the arbitration between the King and Government of the Hawaiian Islands and Messrs. Ladd & Co., before Messrs. Stephen H. Williams & James F. B. Marshall, arbitrators under compact. C.E. Hitchcock, printer, Hawaiian Government press.
8. ^ a b "Ricord, John office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on 2012-03-06. Retrieved 2010-03-12.
9. ^ "Passport records". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Retrieved 2010-03-12.
10. ^ "Attorney General's Department - Organization of" (PDF). state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-05-27. Retrieved 2010-03-12.
11. ^ a b "Attorney General, office record" (PDF). state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 July 2010. Retrieved August 13, 2010.
12. ^ Phillip H. Harris (1993). "Charles Coffin Harris: An Uncommon Life in the Law". Hawaiian Journal of History. Hawaiian Historical Society. hdl:10524/224.
13. ^ "Hawai`i Legal Research: Attorney General Opinions".
14. ^ "Hawai`i Legal Research: Attorney General Opinions".
15. ^ Dowson, Kapono (June 21, 2002). "Kimi Amemiya, 96, led family of achievers". Honolulu Advertiser. Retrieved November 28, 2020.

* Newbury, Colin (2001). "Patronage and Bureaucracy in the Hawaiian Kingdom, 1840–1893". Pacific Studies. 24 (1–2). Laie, HI: Brigham Young University, Hawaii Campus: 1–38\. OCLC 607265842. Archived from the original on 2012-04-15.1–2&rft.pages=1-38&rft.date=2001&rft_id=info:oclcnum/607265842&rft.aulast=Newbury&rft.aufirst=Colin&rft_id=https://ojs.lib.byu.edu/spc/index.php/PacificStudies/article/viewFile/10216/9862&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Attorney+General+of+Hawaii" class="Z3988">

## External links

[edit]

* Hawaii Attorney General official website

* v
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* e

Statewide political officials of Hawaii

U.S. senators|

* Brian Schatz
* Mazie Hirono

State government|

* Josh Green, Governor
* Sylvia Luke, Lieutenant Governor
* Anne E. Lopez, Attorney General (appointed)
* Luis Salaveria, Finance Director (appointed)

Senate|

* Ron Kouchi, President
* Michelle Kidani, Vice President
* Dru Kanuha, Majority Leader
* Brenton Awa, Minority Leader

House|

* Nadine Nakamura, Speaker
* Linda Ichiyama, Vice Speaker
* Sean Quinlan, Majority Leader
* Lauren Matsumoto, Minority Leader

Supreme Court|

* Mark Recktenwald, Chief Justice
* Sabrina McKenna
* Todd W. Eddins
* Lisa M. Ginoza
* Vladimir Devens, Associate Justices

* v
* t
* e

Attorneys general of Hawaii

Hawaiian Kingdom
1843–1893|

* John Ricord
* Charles Coffin Harris
* Charles Coffin Harris (acting)
* Stephen Henry Phillips
* Albert Francis Judd
* Alfred S. Hartwell
* Richard H. Stanley
* John Smith Walker
* William Richards Castle
* Alfred S. Hartwell
* Edward Preston
* W. Claude Jones
* John Smith Walker
* William Nevins Armstrong
* Henry A. P. Carter
* William Nevins Armstrong
* Edward Preston
* Walter M. Gibson (acting)
* Paul Neumann
* Walter M. Gibson (acting)
* John T. Dare
* John Lot Kaulukoʻu
* Antone Rosa
* Clarence W. Ashford
* Arthur P. Peterson
* William Austin Whiting
* Paul Neumann
* Charles F. Creighton
* Cecil Brown
* Arthur P. Peterson

Provisional Government
of Hawaii 1893–1894|

* William Owen Smith

Republic of Hawaii
1894–1900|

* William Owen Smith
* Francis March Hatch (acting)
* Henry E. Cooper (acting)
* William Owen Smith
* Henry E. Cooper (acting)
* William Owen Smith

Territory of Hawaii
1898–1959|

* Henry E. Cooper
* Edmund Pearson Dole
* Lorrin Andrews
* Emil C. Peters
* Charles R. Hemenway
* Alexander Lindsay Jr.
* Wade Warren Thayer
* Ingram Stainback
* Arthur G. Smith
* Harry Irwin
* John A. Matthewman
* William B. Lymer
* Harry P. Hewitt
* William B. Pittman
* S. B. Kemp
* Joseph V. Hodgson
* Ernest K. Kai
* J. Garner Anthony
* Cyrus Nils Tavares
* Walter D. Ackerman Jr.
* Michiro Watanabe
* Edward N. Sylva
* Richard K. Sharpless
* Shiro Kashiwa
* Herbert Young Cho Choy
* Jack H. Mizuha

State of Hawaii
1959–present|

* Jack H. Mizuha
* Shiro Kashiwa
* George T. H. Pai
* Wayne Minami
* Tany S. Hong
* Michael A. Lilly
* Corinne Watanabe
* Warren Price, III
* Robert A. Marks
* Margery Bronster
* Earl I. Anzai
* Mark J. Bennett
* David M. Louie
* Doug Chin
* Russell Suzuki
* Clare E. Connors
* Holly Shikada
* Anne E. Lopez

* v
* t
* e

Attorneys general of the United States

United States Attorney General: ▌Pam Bondi (R)

▌Steve Marshall (R)

▌Treg Taylor (R)

▌Kris Mayes (D)

▌Tim Griffin (R)

▌Rob Bonta (D)

▌Phil Weiser (D)

▌William Tong (D)

▌Kathy Jennings (D)

▌James Uthmeier (R)

▌Christopher M. Carr (R)

▌Anne E. Lopez (D)

▌Raúl Labrador (R)

▌Kwame Raoul (D)

▌Todd Rokita (R)

▌Brenna Bird (R)

▌Kris Kobach (R)

▌Russell Coleman (R)

▌Liz Murrill (R)

▌Aaron Frey (D)

▌Anthony Brown (D)

▌Andrea Campbell (D)

▌Dana Nessel (D)

▌Keith Ellison (DFL)

▌Lynn Fitch (R)

▌Andrew Bailey (R)

▌Austin Knudsen (R)

▌Mike Hilgers (R)

▌Aaron D. Ford (D)

▌John Formella (R)

▌Matt Platkin (D)

▌Raúl Torrez (D)

▌Letitia James (D)

▌Jeff Jackson (D)

▌Drew Wrigley (R)

▌Dave Yost (R)

▌Gentner Drummond (R)

▌Dan Rayfield (D)

▌Dave Sunday (R)

▌Peter Neronha (D)

▌Alan Wilson (R)

▌Marty Jackley (R)

▌Jonathan Skrmetti (R)

▌Ken Paxton (R)

▌Derek Brown (R)

▌Charity Clark (D)

▌Jason Miyares (R)

▌Nick Brown (D)

▌JB McCuskey (R)

▌Josh Kaul (D)

▌Bridget Hill (R)

Federal districts:

▌Brian Schwalb (D)

Territories:

▌Fainu'ulelei Alailima-Utu

▌Doug Moylan (R)

▌Ed Manibusan (D)

▌Janet Parra (PNP)*

▌Gordon Rhea

Political party affiliations

* ▌29 Republicans (28 states, 1 territory)
* ▌24 Democrats (22 states, 1 territory, 1 district)
* ▌1 New Progressive (1 territory)
* ▌2 Unknown (2 territories)
An asterisk (*) indicates that the officeholder is serving in an acting capacity.
State abbreviations link to position articles.

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