The executive and legislative branches of local government have gotten much of the attention during the recovery phase following the Maui wildfires. But the judicial branch has been just as integral in helping residents and communities get back on their feet.
Maui District Family Court Judge Adrianne Heely Caires was recently selected by the National Judicial College as one of 60 "Courageous Judges" from around the world for her community work in the aftermath of the fires across Maui, including in Kula where she lives with her family.
"Evacuated during this year’s fires on Maui, she continued to come to work to help children and families in Family Court. That included making sure that foster children were safe. She found new shelters and provided psychological first aid for many," the National Judicial College said in a news release.
Heely Caires is a 1998 graduate of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa William S. Richardson School of Law. She was sworn into office in 2012 and has been with Maui’s Family Court since 2017.
She talked with The Conversation about her experience during the Kula wildfires and what being named a “Courageous Judge” means to her.
"I'm so extremely humbled by it. I would never envision I could make a list like this. I just do what I do daily and try to help people and be of service to the community," she said.
This story aired on The Conversation on Jan. 8, 2024. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.
