Hawaii Supreme Court Associate Justice Sabrina McKenna will begin serving as acting chief justice Wednesday, following the retirement of Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald at the end of September, the state Judiciary announced Thursday.

“On behalf of all judiciary employees, the bar, and the entire State of Hawaii, I express our deepest appreciation to Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald for his Aloha Spirit-imbued leadership over the past 15 years, as well as his commitment to Access to Justice and the Rule of Law,” McKenna said in a news release.

Recktenwald leaves the Supreme Court due to the state’s mandatory retirement age of 70 for justices and judges.

The Judical Selection Commission must now provide a list of four to six nominees to replace the chief justice. Gov. Josh Green will then se

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