Chief Justice Appoints District Family Court Judges

HONOLULU – Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald today appointed three individuals to serve in the District Family Court of the First Circuit (island of Oʻahu). The appointees are:

Maria F. Penn. Penn has served as a Per Diem District Family Judge since May 2022. She is currently a solo practitioner representing clients in various civil litigation matters, including medical malpractice, personal injury, civil rights violations/police brutality, contract disputes, and more. Prior to serving as a Per Diem District Family Judge, Penn practiced family law, representing clients in divorces and paternity matters, and also served as volunteer settlement master in Family Court. She is a graduate of the William S. Richardson School of Law and was admitted to the Hawaii State Bar in 2003.

Wilson A. Unga. Unga has worked as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney at the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, City and County of Honolulu since 2013. He currently serves as Felony Trials Division Chief and has also been the departmentʻs Domestic Violence Felony Team Captain. He received the Mayor’s Exceptional Achievement Award in 2019, and serves as a volunteer youth mentor. He is a graduate of the William S. Richardson School of Law and was admitted to the Hawaiʻi State Bar in 2012.

Rochelle I. Vidinha (Cusumano). Vidinha has worked as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney at the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, City and County of Honolulu since 2001. She currently serves as Team Captain of the Sexual Assault and Human Trafficking Unit and Coordinator of the Honolulu County Human Trafficking Task Force. Prior to joining the Prosecutorʻs office Vidinha was a Parole Officer with the Hawaii Paroling Authority from 1989 to 1998. She is a graduate of the William S. Richardson School of Law and was admitted to the Hawaii State Bar in 2001.

The Chief Justice made these appointments from nomination lists presented to him by the Judicial Selection Commission on March 17, 2025. The appointments are subject to Senate confirmation, and if confirmed, each will serve a term of six-years.