Attorney Peter Timothy Cahill has been appointed to fill a vacancy on the 2nd Circuit Court in Maui, the Judicial Selection Commission announced Thursday.

The appointment is subject to Senate approval.

Cahill was among five candidates whose names were sent to Gov. Neil Abercrombie for consideration and was nominated by the governor to fill the vacancy. But the nomination was determined to be invalid because Abercrombie missed a 30-day deadline by which to make the nomination.

Abercrombie received the commission’s list of candidates on May 11 and announced the appointment on Tuesday, two days after the deadline.

Under the state Constitution, because the governor failed to make the appointment within the mandated period, the Judicial Selection Commission makes the appointment with the consent of the state Senate.

"The members of the commission therefore met as expeditiously as possible to consider the various attributes of the five nominees," the commission said in a news release. "The commission holds all of the nominees in high regard, but decided on Mr. Cahill based on a number of different factors. Mr. Cahill has a wide range of experience in over 30 years in private practice as a litigator, mediator and arbitrator of personal injury and commercial disputes.

"He received stellar references from judges as well as attorneys. He also has devoted a considerable amount of time to pro bono representation of clients unable to pay for legal services, and has established a reputation for fairness among his peers on Maui."

Other finalists were Maui District Judge Kelsey Kawano and Maui attorneys and per diem judges Michelle Drewyer, Lloyd Poelman and Douglas Sameshima.

The commission on Thursday presented Senate President Shan Tsutsui with its letter of appointment.