If one female judge in Hawaii were retiring, it would hardly be worth a comment. If two announce early retirement, a bit of a concern. When three announce retirement, it’s "What’s going on here???"
On Wednesday, the seventh female judge, Karen Radius, whose term of office was not due to expire until December, 2012, announced her early retirement [Honolulu Advertiser, 12/23/2009].
Well, it’s not three, it’s seven already. Shouldn’t we be asking "HEY—WHAT’S GOING ON HERE??" in capital letters?
Wednesday’s article in the Honolulu Advertiser follows a similar report Tuesday (Hifo, Hirai to step down, 12/22/2009) that counted six female judges and only two male judges retiring, one already retired and Judge Moon, who will reach the mandatory retirement age.
All will be replaced by appointments made by lame duck Republican governor Linda Lingle.
Both stories by Advertiser court reporter Jim Dooley leave a critical question unanswered: Why this sudden exodus of female jurists in Hawaii?
Inquiring minds want to know.