Asian Journal- The Filipino-American Community Newspaper

ON May 19, 2000, Simeon R. Acoba, Jr. became only the third Filipino American appointed to Hawaii’s highest judicial office. His first ten-year term as a Justice of the Hawai’i State Supreme Court ends this 2010.

The son of Filipino immigrant Simeon Acoba Sr. from Bacarra Ilocos Norte, Philippines, Simeon R. Acoba Jr, called "Sim", was born 11 Mar 1944 in Honolulu. Justice Acoba is a 1962 graduate of Farrington High School. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Hawaii with honors, and his Juris Doctorate degree from the Northwestern University School of Law in 1969. He was admitted to practice law in the federal and in the Hawaii state courts on October 9, 1969.

In 1969, Acoba returned to Honolulu to become a law clerk for Hawai’i State Supreme Court Chief Justice William S. Richardson.

In 1970, he left this position to become a special assistant to University of Hawai’i President Harlan Cleveland.

Acoba Jr. later engaged in the private practice of law. From 1975 to 1977, Justice Acoba served as special counsel to the Division of Occupational Safety and Health for Hawai’i .

In addition, he was special counsel to the Campaign Spending Commission and the Public Utilities Commission.

Sim also worked as a house of representatives majority attorney, and as an adjunct professor at the Richardson School of Law, University of Hawai’i .

In 1979, Justice Acoba was appointed by Chief Justice Richardson as a per diem judge in the District Court of the First Circuit. In 1980, Governor George Ariyoshi appointed Acoba to the Hawaii State Judiciary as a circuit court judge. Governor John Waihee elevated Acoba in 1994 to the Hawaii State Intermediate Court of Appeals, the second highest court.

Justice Acoba served as a judge of the Intermediate Court of Appeals of Hawai’i from May 26, 1994 to May 18, 2000. Later, Governor Benjamin J. Cayetano appointed Acoba to the Hawaii State Supreme Court and was sworn in on May 19, 2000. (AJPress)