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Council Edition 2000 | Fall 2000 |
 Annual Council Guest - Kay Maxwell - LWV National LiaisonAlana Bowman to Speak at League Brown Bag LunchPresident's Message (Virginia Isbell)Vote Count (Arlene Ellis)Hawaii Clean Elections (Laure Dillon & George Fox)Violence Prevention (Suzanne Meisenzahl)Don't Gamble with Aloha (Dorothy Bobilin)Education Committee (Mary Anne Raywid)Judiciary Study Committee (Jean Aoki)High-Traffic Websites Team Up to Sponsor 'Rolling Cyber Debate'Kauai Annual Meeting (Carol Bain)Congressional Candidates' ForumLeague of Women Voters Clearinghouse Open!Man and his Legacy, TheVoter Service |
Judiciary Study CommitteeThe Judiciary Committee has been in hiatus since the Legislative Session began in January because of the intense effort by League and its coalition partners to push through various issues that deal with the Judiciary. One of our current concerns has to be with our jury system, and I will be proposing to the committee that whether now or at a later date, we might consider exploring Hawaii's jury system via observation, interviews, records kept by the judiciary, etc. My concern includes participation levels by citizens, prevalent excuses for not serving, the prevalent makeup of juries, whether the level of compensation is a major deterrent, the exact details for selection, etc. The aim would be to impress upon all the importance of acceptance of the jury system and the responsibility of all citizens to participate in the system if our judicial system is to work. I am at present serving on a committee appointed by the Chief Justice to review the Judicial Code of Ethics with instructions too see how certain parts can be amended to allow for more public comment by judges without compromising their commitment to objectivity and eroding their credibility in the eyes of the public. It is feared that their silence in the face of so much criticism of certain actions taken by individual judges is not helping build public confidence in the judiciary. Beyond that, it is felt that the public really knows very little about the Judiciary, something we've been claiming all along, and what judges need to do know in educating the public. Jean Aoki |
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