Judge Joseph Cardoza was instrumental in starting mental health, environmental, veteran courts
Maui News reports
WAILUKU — Retired Chief Judge Joseph Cardoza was the first to serve two full terms on the 2nd Circuit Court bench, starting mental health, environmental and veterans courts.
So it was fitting that The Honorable Judge Joseph E. Cardoza Law Library was dedicated Sept. 1 at Hoapili Hale, where he served for 20 years.
“Judge Cardoza’s selfless service as Maui’s chief judge and as chair of the Hawaii Access to Justice Commission has embodied much of what the fundamental role of a library is — creating opportunities for learning and education and shaping new ideas and perspectives that are essential to a creative and innovative society,” said state Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald. “Many of the successful programs that have shaped the way the Judiciary provides service to the public were developed on Maui under Judge Cardoza’s leadership, and his unwavering commitment to providing access to justice for all has opened gateways to knowledge and benefited many in the community who need it the most.”
Recktenwald, appearing by videoconference for the dedication on the second floor of the state courthouse building in Wailuku, read from a certificate of recognition for Cardoza.
The reason for the ceremony had been kept secret from the retired judge, who had been told the event was for 2nd Circuit Chief Judge Richard Bissen. Cardoza showed up with a brown paper bag containing a lei for Bissen.
Second Circuit Chief Judge Richard Bissen (from left) and retired 2nd Circuit Judge Artemio Baxa talk with retired 2nd Circuit Chief Judge Joseph Cardoza in the law library that was dedicated in his name Sept. 1 at Hoapili Hale, the state Judiciary building in Wailuku. The Maui News/LILA FUJIMOTO photo
Cardoza’s wife, Paulette, and son, Joey, who oversaw creation of the library plaque, were at the dedication, while his daughter, Christiane Cardoza-Brundage, and other family members appeared by videoconference.
Second Circuit judges and some of Cardoza’s former judicial assistants also showed up.
“I honestly am overwhelmed, totally surprised,” Cardoza said when the plaque in his name was unveiled. “I don’t know if I deserve this kind of recognition, but you’re all very kind.”
He, in turn, acknowledged Recktenwald, Bissen and others in the community and Judiciary.
“Because it’s all of you working together that makes things happen, serving the people we are so privileged to serve,” Cardoza said. “I see it as a recognition of what all of you have done and the people in our community have done. This stands as a recognition of all of you, as opposed to me.”
Bissen recalled a conversation at the elevator in the courthouse with someone who asked if Judge Cardoza still worked in the building. After Bissen said, “Not really — he’s the only guy that doesn’t know he’s retired,” the response was: “You should name the building after him.”
“I knew we couldn’t name the building after him,” Bissen said.
But after succeeding Cardoza as chief judge, Bissen sought to have the law library named after Cardoza.
“If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have been in that position as chief judge to be able to honor him in that way,” Bissen said.
He was 15 when he met Cardoza, then a deputy prosecutor, at a career day at St. Anthony School.
“He changed the course of what my plans were,” said Bissen, who was inspired by Cardoza to become an attorney.
Cardoza was a two-term Maui County prosecuting attorney from 1983 to 1991, hiring Bissen as a deputy prosecutor in 1987.
In 1991, the two were partners in the law firm of Cardoza, Fukuoka and Bissen before Bissen returned to the prosecutor’s office as a deputy, then head prosecutor.
Cardoza left private practice when on June 24, 1999, he was appointed to be a 2nd Circuit Court judge.
“No other judge before him served two complete terms,” Bissen said.
Cardoza was chief judge during his last eight years on the bench. He started the Mental Health Court in 2013, Environmental Court in 2015 and later Veterans Court.
He was selected for The Maui News’ “People Who Made a Difference” in 2015.
“He probably could win that award every year,” Bissen said.
In 2018, he was selected as the Judiciary’s Jurist of the Year, “which means he was the top judge in the state,” Bissen said.
Cardoza retired on June 23, 2019, but continued to serve as a volunteer judge for a few months.
In retirement, he has been at the courthouse with other volunteers who give directions and offer other help for self-represented litigants as part of the Navigator program he started. Cardoza also has volunteered in a program that assists landlords and renters in eviction cases.
To create the plaque for the library, Bissen said he “reached out to the person most qualified” — Cardoza’s son, Joey, who designed the sign at the entrance to St. Anthony School as his Eagle Scout project.
He served as “project manager,” Bissen said.
Ceramic Tile Plus donated the granite. “They knew what this was for, they wouldn’t accept money,” Bissen said.
Other contributions were from PF Restoration, which did the sandblasting; Volcano Signs, which did the stenciling; and Mark Lau Hee, who did the installation.
Judge Bissen’s wife, Kaihi, did the painting, over three days, of the gold leaf plate and white lettering on the plaque.
“This was a well-deserved surprise for my dad,” Joey Cardoza said. “I’d like to thank my dad for always being there for us and the county of Maui.”
Recktenwald said the library would “be a reminder to all of the significant role Judge Cardoza has played in the administration of justice and the extraordinary public service he has provided to the community at large.”
https://www.mauinews.com/news/local-news/2021/09/law-library-dedicated-to-retired-maui-judge/
