In re: Judiciary's Response to the COVID-19 Outbreak ( 2020 )

Electronically Filed
Supreme Court
SCMF-XX-XXXXXXX
23-DEC-2020
11:19 AM
Dkt. 85 ORD
SCMF-XX-XXXXXXX
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF HAWAIʻI
In the Matter of the Judiciary’s Response
to the COVID-19 Outbreak
FOURTH EXTENSION OF ORDER REGARDING
TEMPORARY EXTENSION OF THE TIME REQUIREMENTS UNDER
HAWAIʻI RULES OF PENAL PROCEDURE RULE 5(c)(3)
(By: Recktenwald, C.J., Nakayama, McKenna, and Eddins, JJ.,
with Wilson, J., concurring and dissenting 1)
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a public health
emergency. In response to the pandemic, the Judiciary postponed
non-urgent court business and limited in-person proceedings in
an effort to ensure the health and safety of court users and
Judiciary personnel, and to minimize the risk of spreading
COVID-19 in the courts. As COVID-19 cases remained low, court
operations resumed in accordance with public health safety
guidance, and to the extent possible with available resources.
Criminal proceedings have proceeded in-person and by video
conference in accordance with court rules and as feasible.
1
A concurrence and dissent by Wilson, J., is forthcoming.
In July 2020, there was a surge of COVID-19 cases in
Hawai‘i, with record numbers of positive cases and increased
hospitalizations being reported. There was also a surge of
COVID-19 cases in our community correctional centers and
facilities, particularly at the O‘ahu Community Correctional
Center (“OCCC”). As a result, inmates were being held in
quarantine and the transport of custody defendants was
suspended, thus impacting the time requirements for preliminary
hearings under Hawai‘i Rules of Penal Procedure (“HRPP”) Rule
5(c)(3). Further, in a letter to the court dated August 18,
2020, the Office of the Public Defender requested the temporary
suspension of, inter alia, HRPP Rule 5(c)(3), noting that
defendants released from OCCC on bail or otherwise may need to
quarantine and comply with isolation requirements, and that
allowing the courts to continue matters for non-custody
defendants would assist in those endeavors.
Thus, on August 27, 2020, this court entered the
“Order Regarding Temporary Extension of the Time Requirements
Under Hawai‘i Rules of Penal Procedure Rule 5(c)(3),” which
provided that the first circuit may temporarily extend the time
requirements for preliminary hearings no longer than reasonably
necessary to protect public health and safety, while encouraging
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judges to follow the time requirements under HRPP Rule 5(c)(3)
to the extent possible and to utilize remote technology as
feasible. Since then, as the COVID-19 cases continued to remain
high, as transports of custody defendants from all O‘ahu
correctional facilities were suspended, and the number of
citations issued for Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes (“HRS”) ch. 127A
violations grew exponentially, this court extended the
provisions of the August 27, 2020 order. Currently, the August
27, 2020 order, as extended, expires on December 31, 2020.
The rate of positive COVID-19 cases and
hospitalizations on O‘ahu, including at OCCC, continues to
fluctuate, and the number of citations for HRS ch. 127A
violations continues to remain high. Additionally, with the
grand jury in recess in January, the number of preliminary
hearings increases significantly. These evolving conditions
require flexibility and vigilance, and the continued need to
protect the health and safety of court users and Judiciary
personnel during this unprecedented time remains paramount.
Thus, a further extension of the August 27, 2020 order for first
circuit criminal matters is necessary.
Accordingly, pursuant to article VI, section 7 of the
Hawaiʻi Constitution, HRS §§ 601-1.5 and 602-5(a)(6), and
Governor David Y. Ige’s Emergency Proclamations,
3
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the August 27, 2020 “Order
Regarding Temporary Extension of the Time Requirements Under
Hawai‘i Rules of Penal Procedure Rule 5(c)(3)” for first circuit
criminal matters is further extended until February 14, 2021,
unless otherwise further modified or extended.
Dated: Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, December 23, 2020.
/s/ Mark E. Recktenwald
/s/ Paula A. Nakayama
/s/ Sabrina S. McKenna
/s/ Todd W. Eddins
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