Hawaii State Senate Confirms Maui Attorney as District Court Judge

(L-R Senate President Shan Tsutsui, Senator Roz Baker, Judge Mimi DesJardins and Senator J. Kalani English)

HONOLULU –  The Hawaii State Senate today confirmed the appointment of Mimi DesJardins as judge for the District Court of the Second Circuit, located on Maui.

Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald appointed DesJardins to fill the vacancy left by the Honorable Rhonda Loo, who was promoted to the position of Circuit Court Judge of the Second Circuit.

“Judge DesJardins has the reputation of being a person with great integrity and character,” said Senate President Shan Tsutsui.  “We are honored to confirm her to Maui’s District Court.”

“Judge DesJardins has established herself as a hardworking and fair-minded jurist who has keen knowledge and understanding of complex issues,” said Senator J. Kalani English, who represents Hana, East and Upcountry Maui, Moloka’i, Lana’i and Kaho’olawe.

“The people of Maui will be well-served with Judge DeJardins’s experience combined with her preparation and even temperament.  I believe the qualities that she exhibits are both rare and admirable,” said Senator Roz Baker, who represents South and West Maui.

DesJardins currently has a her own private practice, concentrating in family law, including the areas of paternity, guardianship, divorce, custody, and visitation; child protective proceedings; custody evaluations and guardian ad litem appointments; and juvenile proceedings. She also has extensive practice experience in the area of criminal defense, including felony and misdemeanor jury trials; and family and district court bench trials. Prior to entering private practice, DesJardins served as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, Deputy Public Defender, and Deputy Corporation Counsel, all in the County of Maui. Since 2006, she has served as a Per Diem Judge for the District Court of the Second Circuit.

DesJardins received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Arts at St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland, and her degree of Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Puget Sound School of Law.