Court Opinion

ID: 9401670
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-06-13 19:05:52.854317+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:19:54.238618
License: Public Domain

NOT FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST'S HAWAI I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER

                                                  Electronically Filed
                                                  Intermediate Court of Appeals
                                                  CAAP-XX-XXXXXXX
                                                  13-JUN-2023
                                                  08:07 AM
                                                  Dkt. 34 OGMR
                           NO. CAAP-XX-XXXXXXX

                 IN THE INTERMEDIATE COURT OF APPEALS

                         OF THE STATE OF HAWAI I

             HOWARD HOFELICH, Plaintiff-Appellant, and
    SOUTH PACIFIC SCUBA TOURS, INC., Intervenor-Appellant, v.
      STATE OF HAWAII, DCCA and DLNR; DENNIS KRUEGER, ESQ.;
     ASHFORD AND WRISTON LAW CORPORATION; DAVID KAAPU, ESQ.;
            STEPHEN D. WHITTAKER, ESQ.; CARL VINCENTI;
          JUNG & VASSAR LAW CORPORATION; RONALD IBARRA;
UNITED STATES COAST GUARD VESSEL DOCUMENTATION CENTER (USCGVDC);
   DAVID LAWTON, ESQ.; DOE CORPORATIONS 1-10; JOHN DOES 1-10;
         JANE DOES 1-10; DOE GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES 1-10;
        DOE PARTNERSHIPS 1-10; DOE LLC CORPORATIONS 1-10,
                        Defendants-Appellees

          APPEAL FROM THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE THIRD CIRCUIT
                      (CASE NO. 3CCV-XX-XXXXXXX)

              ORDER GRANTING MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION
      (By:   Ginoza, Chief Judge, Wadsworth and Nakasone, JJ.)
             Upon consideration of self-represented Plaintiff-
Appellant Howard Hofelich's (Hofelich) June 2, 2023 "Motion for
Relief of the Order of Default Denying Howard Hofelich's Appeal
by filing Forma Pro Pauperis and Being Unable to Pay the
Appellant Court Fee of $315" (Motion), 1 which the court construes
as a motion for relief from default of the record on appeal and
reconsideration of the Order Granting Motion to Dismiss Appeal,
filed May 30, 2023 (Dismissal Order), the papers in support, and
the record, it appears that:

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         Hofelich is cautioned that the flyleaf of each separately filed
document shall include a three-inch top margin, or a three-inch-by-three-inch
space in the top right corner of the flyleaf. Hawai i Rules of Appellate
Procedure (HRAP) Rule 32(a).
  NOT FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST'S HAWAI I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER

           (1) Hofelich seeks relief from the default of the
record on appeal and reconsideration of the Dismissal Order, and
tenders full payment for the appellate filing fees;
           (2) Hofelich offers no explanation for why he failed to
timely respond to the default notice entered by the appellate
clerk on May 8, 2023, or oppose the motion to dismiss appeal
filed by Defendants-Appellees David Lawton and Jung & Vassar P.C.
on April 25, 2023; and
           (3) Nonetheless, in deference to Hofelich's self-
represented status, Waltrip v. TS Enterprises, Inc., 140 Hawai i
226, 239, 398 P.3d 815, 828 (2016) (requiring courts to construe
pro se filings in a reasonable manner that promotes access to
justice), and because Hawai i's appellate courts have
"consistently adhered to the policy of affording litigants the
opportunity to have their cases heard on the merits, where
possible," Schefke v. Reliable Collection Agency, Ltd., 96
Hawai i 408, 420, 32 P.3d 52, 64 (2001) (citation and quotation
marks omitted), the court will grant the Motion, and accept the
late-tendered payment for the filing fees.
           Therefore, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the Motion is
granted.   The Dismissal Order is vacated and the appeal is
reinstated.   HRAP Rules 26(b), (e).
           IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that within sixty days from the
date of this order, the Clerk of the Circuit Court of the Third
Circuit shall file the record on appeal.
           IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the appellate clerk shall
serve a copy of this order on the Clerk of the Circuit Court of
the Third Circuit.
           DATED:    Honolulu, Hawai i, June 13, 2023.

                                       /s/ Lisa M. Ginoza
                                       Chief Judge

                                       /s/ Clyde J. Wadsworth
                                       Associate Judge

                                       /s/ Karen T. Nakasone
                                       Associate Judge

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