Judges sworn in
Dunn, Rouse praised as fair
WAILUKU — Longtime Maui attorneys Chris Dunn and Jim Rouse were praised as fair, compassionate and intelligent as they were sworn in Thursday as judges in the 2nd Circuit.
Dunn will serve as a District Court judge, and Rouse will be a District Family Court judge.
“Our two judges are seasoned trial lawyers who are completely at home in the courtroom, who share a passion for community service,” Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald said.
He appeared by videoconference to administer oaths of office to Dunn and Rouse, who were in 2nd Circuit Chief Judge Richard Bissen’s courtroom with their family members and fellow judges. More than 100 people watched the ceremony on the Judiciary‘s YouTube channel.
Ron Kouchi, president of the state Senate, which voted unanimously to confirm the appointments last month, said he had heard about both men before speaking with them.
“The passion that each of them have just jumped right across the television screen into my conference room,” Kouchi said. “And it was clear about what great individuals they both are and just how committed they were to the position and the service.”
Dunn, who has 25 years of experience as a lawyer, had a private law practice in Wailuku for 18 years after moving to Maui in 2002 from Massachusetts. He had a high volume of cases representing privately retained and court-appointed clients in District, Family and Circuit courts, and administrative proceedings.
Rouse spent nearly 20 years as a deputy public defender and more recently handled child abuse and neglect cases as a deputy attorney general.
Consistent themes appeared in the 80 pages of testimony supporting Dunn and 40 pages supporting Rouse, said District Court Judge Kirstin Hamman, secretary of the Hawaii State Trial Judges Association.
She said Dunn was described as “fair, knowledgeable, experienced, honest, trustworthy, compassionate, level-headed, hardworking, respectful, intelligent, kind and has excellent temperament.”
She said Rouse was described as “compassionate, zealous, humble, has a big heart, diligent, intelligent, fairminded, full of compassion, wit, humor and boundless enthusiasm.”
Recktenwald said “District Court is known as the people’s court since it is where most people come in contact with the court system,” through traffic citations, small claims and other matters.
Dunn has a “well-deserved reputation as a go-to criminal defense lawyer,” Recktenwald said.
In Family Court, “matters that profoundly affect families and children are decided,” including divorce, juvenile matters and child abuse and neglect cases, Recktenwald said.
He said Rouse’s experience “will enable him to hit the ground running” and “offer hope and a path forward for families experiencing trauma.”
Rouse said he shares the vision of
Family Court as a place of healing.
“I want to make it a place of healing,” he said. “We’re going to do it with manners. We’re going to do it with integrity. And we’re going to do it with passion and love.”
“I will strive to live up to the person depicted in your letters,” Dunn said. “I will approach each court calendar with purpose and passion. I thank you all for your tremendous support and this extraordinary opportunity.”
Both judges acknowledged their families — Dunn’s wife, Pualani Enos, and their three children, Claire Mahealani, Oliver Keahiulaokala and Dylan Ka`iwakumakaopua; and Rouse’s wife, Mona, his stepson, Tyler Stevenson and wife Robin, and grandchildren Kua and Lili.
The new judges also acknowledged each other.
“I want to thank Jim Rouse for standing side by side with me as we made this journey together,” Dunn said. “I wish to thank the people I will serve and serve with in the future — the Maui County community generally and the courthouse community specifically.”
Dunn is a graduate of George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C., and was admitted to the Hawaii State Bar in 2002. He earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
Rouse graduated from Golden Gate University School of Law in San Francisco and was admitted to the Hawaii State Bar in 1994. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Chico State University in California.