Sabrina McKenna

Sabrina S. McKenna
Justice of the
Supreme Court of Hawaii
Assumed office
February 16, 2011
Nominated by Neil Abercrombie
Preceded by Mark E. Recktenwald
Personal details
Born (1957-10-07) October 7, 1957
Tokyo, Japan
Children 3
Alma mater University of Hawaii at Manoa
Occupation Lawyer, Judge

Sabrina Shizue McKenna (born October 7, 1957) is a judge from the U.S. state of Hawaii. Since February 16, 2011, she has served as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Hawaii.

Early life and education

McKenna was born on October 7, 1957, in Tokyo, Japan.[1] Her father was a professor from the Midwestern United States and her mother was a Japanese national.[2] McKenna's father died when she was 9 years old.[3] McKenna graduated from Yokota High School in Tokyo.[1]

McKenna attended the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where she played on the Hawaii Rainbow Wahine women's basketball team.[3] She was one of the first beneficiaries of Title IX. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Japanese.[3] McKenna then earned her Juris Doctor from the William S. Richardson School of Law.[3]

McKenna was an associate at Goodsill Anderson Quinn & Stifel until 1987, then served as general counsel to Otaka, Inc. until 1990. She became an assistant professor at the University of Hawaii Law School before being appointed a District Court judge on November 30, 1993. She was elevated to the Circuit Courts on June 29, 1995.[4]

McKenna was one of three candidates recommended to President Barack Obama by Senators Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka to fill a judicial vacancy on the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii.[1] McKenna did not receive the nomination, which went to Leslie E. Kobayashi in April 2010.[1]

On January 25, 2011, Governor Neil Abercrombie nominated McKenna to a seat on the Hawaii Supreme Court.[1] The Hawaii Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on her nomination on February 4 and advanced her nomination to the full Senate by a vote of 5–0.[5] Over one hundred pieces of testimony were submitted to the Judiciary Committee with respect to her nomination, the vast majority of which were supportive of McKenna.[5] Of the five testimonies that opposed McKenna's appointment, four did so because of her sexual orientation.[5] On February 16, 2011, the Hawaii Senate approved her nomination by a vote of 23–0.[6]

Personal

McKenna has three children.[1][3] McKenna is the first openly gay judge to serve on the Hawaii Supreme Court.[1] She is one of nine openly LGBT state supreme court justices currently serving in the United States.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Kobayashi, Ken (January 26, 2011). "McKenna is named to state's high court". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Retrieved March 9, 2011.
  2. ↑ Clark, Kimberly (June 6, 2014), "Giving Back and Paying It Forward", The Hawaii Herald
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Kobayashi, Ken (January 31, 2011). "Judge secure with sexual orientation". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Retrieved March 9, 2011.
  4. ↑ "Hawaii State Judiciary: Sabrina McKenna". Retrieved March 9, 2011.
  5. 1 2 3 Kobayashi, Ken (February 5, 2011). "Nominee to Supreme Court easily wins Senate panel's OK". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Retrieved March 9, 2011.
  6. ↑ Star-Advertiser Staff (February 16, 2011). "McKenna confirmed to Hawaii Supreme Court". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Retrieved March 9, 2011.
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