Senate unanimously confirms
isle lawyer for Court of Appeals

---

By Richard Borreca
rborreca@starbulletin.com

Attorney Richard R. Clifton has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, becoming only the second Hawaii appointment to the court.

His confirmation on a 98-to-0 vote yesterday, comes slightly more than a year after he was nominated by President Bush.

Clifton, 51, who moved to Hawaii in 1975 to be a law clerk for former 9th Circuit Judge Herbert Choy, is a partner with the Cades Schutte Fleming & Wright law firm. He also served as general counsel for the state Republican Party and for Linda Lingle's 1998 GOP campaign for governor.

His law practice focused on business and commercial litigation, with an emphasis on the appellate practice.

He is married, with two children, and said he plans to remain in Honolulu and travel to court hearings in California. Clifton said it is customary for 9th Circuit justices to remain in their home jurisdictions.

Clifton is a graduate of Princeton University and got his law degree from Yale Law School. He was a former adjunct professor at the University of Hawaii law school.