Jeffrey Hawk at a glance
- Current role
- District Court Judge
- Jurisdiction
- Hawaii · State
- Judicial service
- Active
Jeffrey Hawk
District Court Judge · Hawaii District Court, Third Circuit
Biography
Professional career
- Hawk has extensive experience in criminal law, having tried 95 criminal jury trial cases, and previously operated his own criminal law practice in the Volcano area since 2017
- Joined the District Court of the Third Circuit in Hilo by Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald on August 28, 2019
- District Court Judge, Hawaii District Court, Third Circuit
Education
- Hawk is a graduate of the William S. Richardson School of Law and was admitted to the Hawaiʻi State Bar in 1997, holding a BA from the University of California at Berkeley
Additional information
- He has held the role of a board member of Adult Friends for Youth for 15 years, volunteered as a firefighter in the Volcano area since 2017, and participated in the 2015 Committee to Review and Make Revisions to the Hawaiʻi Penal Code.
- From 2006-2014, Hawk served as a member of the Defender Council, the governing body of the Office of the Public Defender.
- All submissions are kept confidential and are used to evaluate whether Judge Hawk should be retained
- Seasoned legal professional with a strong background in criminal law, public defense, and community service.
- Judge Hawk has presided over criminal cases, including rulings on bail and custody matters.
- Public input is actively sought to inform the Commission’s decision on his retention
- He also spent 13 years handling criminal cases on Oʻahu with the firm Hawk, Sing & Ignacio and served five years as a deputy public defender.
- Prior to that, Hawk served for five years as a Deputy Public Defender.
- For example, he maintained bail at $468,000 for a Pahoa man charged with multiple felonies, including firearm and drug offenses, after considering arguments from both the defense and prosecution
- He currently serves as a District Court Judge in Hilo and is undergoing the judicial retention process for a potential additional six-year term.
- Prior to this appointment, he held the role of a per diem (part-time) District Family Court judge on both the Big Island and Oʻahu.
- Beyond his judicial duties, Hawk has been active in the community.
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 July 26, 2026.
Biography sources checked July 26, 2026.
Hawaii State Judiciary official judicial roster
Identity source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Hawaii State Judiciary official judicial roster ↗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
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