Craig H. Nakamura at a glance
- Current role
- Judge
- Jurisdiction
- Hawaii · State
- Judicial service
- Active
Craig H. Nakamura
Biography
Professional career
- Judge, Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals, 2009-present
- held the role of a law clerk to U.S. Circuit Judge Herbert Y. C. Choy
- Retired American jurist who held the role of an associate judge and later Chief Judge of the Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals
Education
- Harvard Law School, graduating cum laude in — J.D. (1981)
- Undergraduate degree from the University of Hawaii in 1978
- Harvard University — J.D.
- University of Hawaiʻi System
Additional information
- Chief Judge from September 16, 2009 until March 2018
- He held the role of chief judge from September 2009 to March 2018 and retired in March 2018.
- Practitioner, 2008-2008
- Nominated to the court by former Republican Governor Linda Lingle in January 2004 and assumed office on April 8, 2004.
- Governor Linda Lingle nominated him in January 2004; he assumed office April 8, 2004.
- In 1986 he became an assistant U.S. attorney, serving until his appellate appointment.
- Born July 19, 1956, Honolulu, Hawaii.
- Date of birth: 1956-07-19
- After law school he clerked for U.S. Circuit Judge Herbert Choy, then worked at Goodsill, Anderson, Quinn & Stifel.
- His tenure as Chief Judge coincided with significant caseload management in Hawaii’s judicial system
- During his tenure, Nakamura was known for emphasizing judicial efficiency and court administration, including guidance on brief-writing for practitioners.
- He also held the role of director of the Hawaii State Bar Association and taught appellate advocacy as an adjunct professor
- membership in the Hawaii State Bar Association.
- Birth place: Honolulu
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Sources
Identity source checked June 30, 2026.
Biography sources checked August 2, 2026.
Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals current judicial profile
Identity source · HTML · Source checked August 2, 2026
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Statewide source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
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Statewide source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
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