By a unanimous vote, 21 members of the Hawaii State Senate on Tuesday confirmed Lisa Ginoza and Vlad Devens to serve on the state’s highest court.
Sens. Michelle Kidani, Glenn Wakai, Maile Shimabukuro and Donna Mercado Kim were excused.
Ginoza is the current chief judge on the Intermediate Court of Appeals. Her elevation opens a vacancy on that court.
Devens is an attorney in private practice with strong ties to labor unions.
Gov. Josh Green, who nominated the Ginoza and Devens to fill the two associate justice vacancies on the five-member Hawaii Supreme Court, was in the Senate gallery for the confirmation.
So were family members of the nominees, Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald and others from the state’s legal community.
Associate justice terms are for 10 years and can be extended. But the mandatory retirement age is 70.
Ginoza is 59. Devens graduated from Kalani High School in 1980.
