Senate Judiciary Committee backs Vladimir Devens as Hawaii's next chief justice
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted Friday to confirm the nomination of Associate Justice Vladimir Devens as Hawaii's next chief justice, sending its recommendation to the full Senate after hearings that weighed his legal experience and labor background over disclosure and past political activity.
The 3-2 committee vote advanced Devens' nomination for a 10-year term leading the Hawaii Supreme Court and the state judiciary.
The full Senate will now decide at noon Thursday whether to confirm Devens, who joined the Hawaii Supreme Court in 2024 after being selected by Gov. Josh Green.
If the Senate votes favorably, Devens would move from associate justice to chief justice and become responsible for administering Hawaii's court system, including court operations, judicial assignments, efficiency efforts and access to justice.
"Throughout my career, I have worked alongside individuals and families navigating real challenges and I carry those experiences with me," Devens said during a previous hearing on Wednesday.
If the full Senate confirms Devens, he would succeed former Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald, who retired after reaching the state's mandatory retirement age of 70 for justices and judges.
Devens, 63, would be eligible to serve most of the 10-year term before reaching mandatory retirement.
Devens' background was central to the support for his nomination during Wednesday's first hearing, where unions, attorneys court officials, former judges and community members testified.
Born and raised in Honolulu, Devens graduated from Kalani High School before attending the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned an undergraduate degree in economics, graduated magna cum laude and received Phi Beta Kappa honors.
He later graduated from UC Berkeley School of Law, formerly Boalt Hall, in 1987, where he served as an associate editor of the Industrial Relations Law Journal.
Before joining the Hawaii Supreme Court, Devens spent more than 30 years in private practice, including labor law work at his own firm and as a partner at Meheula, Devens & Winer and Meheula & Devens.
His judiciary biography also lists service as a director on the Hawaii State Bar Association board and work on several HSBA committees.
"Justice Devens is smart, he's honest, he's strong and he's decisive," said Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm at Wednesday's hearing. "I think that's what the judiciary will need and he'll do a great job at it."
Supporters framed Devens as a hard worker with experience and a practical understanding of the courts.
"He's hardworking, he's smart, he's got, I think, three decades of experience as a litigator," Recktenwald said.
He also highlighted Devens' work on Hawaii's highest court and his role co-chairing the Committee on Artificial Intelligence and the Courts.
The committee on artificial intelligence, co-chaired by Devens and First Circuit Judge John Tonaki, began meeting in May 2024 and issued its final report to the Hawaii Supreme Court in December 2025.
"If I had to say one thing about this man, I'd say one of the hardest workers I've ever seen," Recktenwald said.
Labor groups were among Devens' more visible supporters, including the United Public Workers, Hawaii Government Employees Association, Hawaii State AFL-CIO, International Longshore and Warehouse Union, and State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers.
"Our testimony is not only going to the character of this individual, but also our belief that he is the best suited to serve as the administrator of the judiciary," said Randy Perreira, HGEA executive director.
Opposition focused on Devens' past political activity, disclosure questions and his role as director of Be Change Now, a political committee connected to Pacific Resource Partnership, the political arm of the influential Hawaii Carpenters Union.
The concern was not over Devens' work as an attorney, but over his voluntary role as one of three directors of a political committee that opponents described as having a history of negative campaigning.
"So, you were not listed as of council to Be Change Now. You were a director," said Sen. Joy San Buenaventura (D, Puna).
Devens told the committee that PRP and the carpenters were never his clients and that his only involvement was through the political committee.
"I had no relationship with them before nor did I have a relationship with them after," Devens said.
The issue carried into Friday's decision-making hearing, where San Buenaventura said the role mattered because Devens had joined the committee as a private citizen, not as an attorney.
"With that kind of potentially undue influence, when he as a regular citizen chose to be part of a pack with such a negative character ... I just can't excuse that," Buenaventura said.
The committee's vote places Devens' nomination before the full Senate, which is not bound by the committee's recommendation.
"At the end of the day," said Sen. Brenton Awa (D, Kaneohe-Laie-Mokuleia), "we believe this candidate, this nominee, is the best one for the people of Hawaii."
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