Opinion ID: 871559
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The ICA Opinion

Text: In a published opinion authored by Judge Foley and joined by Judge Fujise, the ICA concluded that the Plaintiffs' claims were not barred by the political question doctrine, vacated the circuit court's judgment, and remanded the case for further proceedings consistent with its opinion. See Nelson v. Hawaiian Homes Comm'n, 124 Hawai`i 437, 447, 246 P.3d 369, 379 (App.2011). The majority concluded that the determination of sufficient sums did not pose a political question as to all four purposes enumerated in Article XII, Section 1, analyzing the issue with reference to all six formulations of the political question doctrine set forth in Baker v. Carr, 369 U.S. 186, 82 S.Ct. 691, 7 L.Ed.2d 663 (1962), as adopted by Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs v. Yamasaki, 69 Haw. 154, 737 P.2d 446 (1987). 124 Hawai`i at 445-47, 246 P.3d at 377-79. With respect to the two Yamasaki formulations emphasized by the State, the majority stated that the DHHL's 1976 General Plan provided the initial policy determinations and set forth judicially discoverable and manageable standards by which sufficient sums can be determined, rendering the controversy justiciable. 124 Hawai`i at 445-46, 246 P.3d at 377-78.