Donald Koji Tsukiyama at a glance
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- Circuit Court Judge
- Jurisdiction
- Hawaii · State
- Judicial service
- Active
Donald Koji Tsukiyama
Circuit Court Judge · Hawaii Circuit Court, First Circuit
Donald Koji Tsukiyama served as a Hawaii First Circuit Court judge and retired in 1990.
Biography
Professional career
- Donald Koji Tsukiyama (1933–2014) was a distinguished retired Circuit Court Judge of Hawaii’s First Circuit, known for his integrity, fairness, and decades of public service
- Judge, Hawaii Circuit Court, First Circuit, 1980-1990
- Circuit Court Judge, First Circuit (appointed 1980 by Governor George Ariyoshi)
- District Family Court Judge, First Circuit (appointed 1980)
- Three months later Governor George Ariyoshi appointed him a Circuit Court judge
Education
- Juris Doctor from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1959 and 1962, respectively
Additional information
- Judge Tsukiyama passed away peacefully at his Honolulu home on June 1, 2014, aged 80.
- Donald Koji Tsukiyama was born October 17, 1933, in Honolulu and died June 1, 2014, in Honolulu at age 80.
- Retired from the Circuit Court in 1990 after 10 years on the bench
- Donald Koji Tsukiyama was born October 17, 1933 in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Wilfred C. and Grace T. Tsukiyama.
- Date of birth: 1933-10-17
- Following eight years as a public defender, Chief Justice William Richardson appointed him a First Circuit District Family Court judge.
- He graduated from Roosevelt High School and later earned both his Bachelor’s degree
- He graduated from Roosevelt High School and pursued undergraduate and law degrees at University of Colorado at Boulder.
- His father, Chief Justice Wilfred Tsukiyama, swore him in as an attorney after he passed the bar.
- His career spanned over 40 years in legal service, and he was a member of the American Bar Association, Hawaii Bar Association, and Phi Alpha Delta
Applicable Court Rules & Procedures
Extended Coverage Notice
Statewide
Hawaii requires news media to notify a court coordinator before electronic or photographic coverage of a judicial proceeding, including audio recording, film, videotape, or still photography.
The news media must notify a court coordinator of their intent to provide any electronic or photographic coverage of a judicial proceeding.Cameras and Audio Equipment ↗
Camera Microphone Placement
Statewide
Hawaii leaves courtroom camera and microphone placement to the judge and cautions that judges may differ on placement rules.
The judge will decide where cameras and microphones can be placed in the courtroom. Judges differ on this - so please ask.Cameras and Audio Equipment ↗
Sources
Identity source checked August 9, 2026.
Biography sources checked August 2, 2026.
Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals current judicial profile
Identity source · HTML · Source checked August 2, 2026
View Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals current judicial profile ↗Cameras and Audio Equipment
Statewide source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Cameras and Audio Equipment ↗Remote Court Hearings via Zoom
Statewide source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Remote Court Hearings via Zoom ↗Hawaii Judiciary 1980 Annual Report
Identity source · PDF · Source checked August 9, 2026
View Hawaii Judiciary 1980 Annual Report ↗University of Colorado Law School Amicus, Fall 2014
Identity source · PDF · Source checked August 9, 2026
View University of Colorado Law School Amicus, Fall 2014 ↗CourtListener judicial biographical directory
Identity source · HTML · Source checked August 2, 2026
View CourtListener judicial biographical directory ↗obits.staradvertiser.com
Biography source · HTML · Source checked October 5, 2026
View obits.staradvertiser.com ↗