HONOLULU — The Hawaii State Senate has scheduled a special session next week to review the appointments of four nominees to the Circuit Court of the First Circuit.

What You Need To Know

  • The Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by Sen. Karl Rhoads, will hold a public hearing for the appointments of Rebecca Copeland, Brian Costa, Dyan Medeiros and Steven Nichols on June 24 at 10:30 a.m. 
  • Final votes on the appointments are expected on June 27 during a floor session scheduled for 11 a.m.
  • The public hearing and floor sessions will be broadcast on the Hawaii State Senate YouTube page.

The Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by Sen. Karl Rhoads, will hold a public hearing for the appointments of Rebecca Copeland, Brian Costa, Dyan Medeiros and Steven Nichols on June 24 at 10:30 a.m. On June 26, the Senate will convene a floor session at 11 a.m. followed by a separate decision-making meeting of the judiciary committee at 11:45 a.m. Final votes on the appointments are expected on June 27 during a floor session scheduled for 11 a.m.

Copeland has served as a district family court judge for the Family Court of the First Circuit since 2020. She previously served as a per diem district court judge. Copeland also worked in private practice, operating her own law office and working for Damon Key Leong Kupchak Hastert.She served as an adjunct professor for the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, St. Mary’s University School of Law and Texas A&M University-San Antonio. Copeland also has experience as deputy solicitor general in the appellate division for the state Department of the Attorney General. She holds a BA in psychology from Southwest Texas State University and a JD from St. Mary’s University School of Law.

Costa has served as a district family court judge for the Family Court of the First Circuit since 2017 and is the lead judge for the Juvenile Division and presiding judge of Juvenile Drug Court. Lead Judge of the Juvenile Division and Presiding Judge of Juvenile Drug Court. He previously served as a per diem district court judge. Costa also has experience as an attorney, member and manager of the law firm Costa & DeLacy, LLLC; Honolulu deputy prosecuting attorney; and associate for Goodsill Anderson Quinn & Stifel. Costa also served as a law clerk for Hawaii Supreme Court Associate Justice Simeon Acoba, Jr. Costa received an AS in applied sciences in business administration from Erie Community College, a BS in management from Hawaii Pacific University and a JD from the William S. Richardson School of Law.

Medeiros has served as a district family court judge for the Family Court of the First Circuit since 2015 and is the lead judge of the Domestic Division and presiding judge of Girls Court. She was a partner with Kleintop, Luria & Medeiros, an associate with Stirling & Kleintop, and an attorney with Damon Key Leong Kupchak Hastert. Medeiros holds a BA in English from UH Manoa and a JD from the William S. Richardson School of Law.

Nichols is a per diem judge for the Family Court of the First Circuit and operates the Law Office of Steven R. Nichols. Nichols served as deputy public defender for 20 years and was a law clerk for First Circuit Judge Dexter Del Rosario. Nichols received a BA in history from UH Manoa and a JD from the William S. Richardson School of Law.

The public hearing and floor sessions will be broadcast on the Hawaii State Senate YouTube page.

Michael Tsai covers local and state politics for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at michael.tsai@charter.com.