Online publication Civil Beat challenged the State Ethics Commission’s decision to withhold financial disclosure statements filed by sitting members of the State’s most powerful boards and commissions. On December 31, 2014, Judge Rhonda Nishimura entered an order granting Civil Beat’s motion for preliminary injunction and ordering release of the financial disclosure statements. Civil No. 14-1-2022-09 RAN. On May 6, 2015, the Hawaii Supreme Court stayed disclosure until the circuit court entered final judgment. No. SCPW-15-9. Due to a change in policy on April 1, 2015, however, the Ethics Commission made all requested information publicly accessible on its website before the circuit court heard the parties’ motions for summary judgment.
- Complaint (9/25/14)
- Motion for Preliminary Injunction
- Plaintiff’s Memorandum of Law (9/25/14)
- Defendant’s Memorandum in Opposition (11/3/14)
- Plaintiff’s Reply Memorandum (11/6/14)
- Order Granting Preliminary Injunction (12/31/14)
- State Ethics Commission’s Motion for Stay
- Defendant’s Memorandum of Law (12/5/14)
- Plaintiff’s Memorandum in Opposition (12/15/14)
- Order Denying Stay (1/2/15)
- Petition for Writ of Mandamus and Writ of Prohibition
- Petition for Mandamus (1/7/15)
- Civil Beat’s Motion for Leave to File Answer or for Summary Denial
- Motion and Proposed Answer (1/23/15)
- Petitioners’ Memorandum in Opposition (1/26/15)
- Order Dismissing Motion (2/11/15)
- Order for Respondents to Answer Petition (2/9/15)
- Ethics Commission’s Response to Petition (2/17/15)
- Civil Beat’s Answer to Petition (2/20/15)
- Order Granting Mandamus (5/6/15)
- Motion for Summary Judgment
- Plaintiff’s Memorandum of Law (5/8/15)
- Defendant’s Memorandum in Opposition (6/10/15)
- Defendant’s Cross-Motion Memorandum of Law (6/10/15)
- Plaintiff’s Combined Response (6/23/15)
- Defendant’s Reply Memorandum (6/26/15)
- Order Finding Plaintiff’s Claim Moot (7/15/15)