Judge to step down from 9th Circuit Court

Federal judge Richard R. Clifton will step down from the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals at the end of the year.

Clifton, 65, of Honolulu, will assume senior status in late December, after more than 14 years on the court.

“I look forward to continuing to serve while providing my court another judge and opening the door for another resident of Hawaii to have that opportunity,” Clifton wrote in a letter to President Barack Obama. He called serving as a federal judge an “extraordinary honor and opportunity.”

Clifton is only the second judge from Hawaii to serve on the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, following the late Senior Circuit Judge Herbert Y.C. Choy, who died in 2004.

Clifton was nominated by President George W. Bush and began hearing cases in 2002.

Born in Framingham, Mass., Clifton moved to Honolulu in 1975 to be a law clerk for Choy, then joined the Cades Schutte Fleming & Wright law firm.

‘Right to travel’ protest lands drivers in jail

Hawaii County police arrested and cited two men who drove into downtown Hilo with cardboard license plates Saturday to proclaim what they said was their constitutional “right to travel” with no driver’s license, registration, license plates, safety stickers and motor vehicle insurance.

Police said three vehicles left the King Kamehameha statue Saturday morning with cardboard-type plates reading “Not for Hire,” in what organizers said was a “Freedom Rally.” Police also seized and towed their vehicles.

Patrol officers stopped the three vehicles on Punahoa Street for obstruction of license plates.

Authorities charged Rodney E. Piedvache, 72, of Naalehu with refusing to show identification, driving while license suspended/revoked and driving without motor vehicle insurance. He was released after $1,025 bail was posted. He also received traffic citations for various infractions.

A second man remained at the Hilo police cellblock with no bail because he continued to refuse to identify himself. He was arrested and charged with refusing to show identification, driving without an operator’s license and driving without motor vehicle insurance. He also received traffic citations.

A third driver was cited for obstruction of license plates and allowed to leave after removing the paper plates and providing his driver’s license, registration and proof of insurance.

A fourth man, 39-year-old Joseph B. Pierce, who has no permanent address, was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct for yelling in the street while officers were conducting the traffic stops, police said.