Simeon R. Acoba, Jr.
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Simeon R. Acoba, Jr. (born March 11, 1944), has been an Associate Justice on the Hawaii State Supreme Court since 2000. He is the third Filipino-American in the United States to hold a seat on a state Supreme Court. Acoba is currently serving his first ten-year term, which expires in 2010. Acoba is a member of the Hawaii Democratic Party.
Acoba graduated from Farrington High School in 1962. He later attended the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where he was instrumental in bringing Martin Luther King, Jr. to speak on campus. After earning his bachelor's degree at the University of Hawaii, Acoba attended law school at the Northwestern University School of Law, earning a law degree there.
In 1969, Acoba returned to Honolulu to become a law clerk for Hawaii State Supreme Court Chief Justice William S. Richardson. In 1970, he left this position to become a special assistant to University of Hawaii President Harlan Cleveland.
From 1971 to 1973, Acoba was deputy Attorney General of Hawaii. Upon leaving the state administration, Acoba ran a private practice until 1983. For a brief period, he was also majority staff attorney for the Hawaii State House of Representatives.
In 1979, Acoba became a district court judge. Later, 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. Later, Governor Benjamin J. Cayetano appointed Acoba to the Hawaii State Supreme Court. Acoba was sworn in on May 19, 2000.