GORDON KLASSEN 2012 BRENDA KLASSEN 2012 v. INOA AINOA KALAMANU MARY MIRANDA MARY TRASK HATTIE HUDDY HARRIET HUDDY HATTIE TRASK HARRIET TRASK BERYLE MAPUANA BRUHN PAUL JAMES BRUHN PAUL JAMES BRUHN JR PAUL MILIAKEALA BRUHN LEONI ELIZABETH WALLWORK ELIZABETH KANOENA MUNDON JAMES HUDDY JR JAMES HUDDY III ANNA HUDDY ORTIZ SANFORD HUDDY ELIZABETH HUDDY COCKETT ELIZABETH COCKETT ABRAHAM HUDDY DAVID HUDDY CHARLA HUDDY LUM CHARLA ANN HAUNANI HUDDY CHARLA DERVILY JOHN TRASK JOHN AKIMA TRASK ANNIE APO ANNIE TRASK ANNIE MIRANDA HAZEL APO GROSS ANNIE HAZEL APO HAZEL APO ANNIE HAZEL SHIN HAZEL SHIN ALMIRA KAWAILIULA APO ALMIRA APO ALMIRA KAUAILIULA MANA OGOTO TANIGUCHI DUSENBERRY ANNIE LACRO CLIFFORD APO HARTWELL APO LANI APO LANI KAEO APO MITCHEL APO DALPHIN APO TREMAINE DAPHNE APO NAWAI DAPHNE ALYCE KAWAIULAILIAHI NAWAI KATHERINE EASTMAN ASHLEY APO CODY APO DAVID ILIILII TRASK NANCY TRASK NAUKANA NANCY TRASK NAUKANA NANCY TRASK NANCY APO WILLIAM WERNER JR STATE OF HAWAI LVNV FUNDING LLC COUNTY OF KAUAI ROLAND STOER SUSANNE SCHROEDER 013 002 JOHN DOES 100 JANE DOES 100 DOE PARTNERSHIPS 100 DOE CORPORATIONS 100 DOE ENTITIES 100 DOE GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES 100 AND ALL OTHER UNKNOWN PERSONS CLAIMING ANY RIGHT TITLE ESTATE LIEN OR INTERESTS IN THE REAL PROPERTY DESCRIBED IN THE COMPLAINT ADVERSE TO PLAINTIFF TITLE LEONAE RODRIGUES (2024)

SUMMARY DISPOSITION ORDER

Defendant-Appellant Leonae Rodrigues (Rodrigues), self-represented, appeals from a June 29, 2020 Order Denying [Rodriguess] “Motion the Court for Reconsideration on Hearing Below” Filed February 28, 2020 (Order Denying Reconsideration) entered by the Circuit Court of the Fifth Circuit (Circuit Court).

1

On temporary remand from this court, on January 25, 2021, the Circuit Court entered an Amended Judgment, which is final and appealable pursuant to Hawai‘i Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 54(b).

Rodrigues filed an Opening Brief, which we have carefully reviewed. However, Rodriguess Opening Brief does not comply with the Hawai‘i Rules of Appellate Procedure (HRAP) in numerous and important ways. See, e.g., HRAP Rules 28(b)(4), (7). We focus on the important infirmities because they hamper our review of her appeal. Rodrigues does not include any points of error or arguments that the Circuit Court erred in its rulings. Rodrigues does not include any citations to the record, including where she contends that the Circuit Court erred and where she raised her arguments or objections in the trial court. Rodrigues cites no statutes, rules, cases or other legal authorities supporting her contention that she is entitled to relief. Most fundamentally, Rodrigues makes no cogent argument that the Circuit Court erred in any way.

Hawai‘i courts have long adhered to the policy of affording litigants the opportunity to be heard on the merits whenever possible. Morgan v. Planning Dept, Cnty. of Kauai, 104 Hawai‘i 173, 180-81, 86 P.3d 982, 989-90 (2004) (citing OConnor v. Diocese of Honolulu, 77 Hawai‘i 383, 386, 885 P.2d 361, 364 (1994)). In view of this longstanding policy, self-represented litigants like Rodrigues do not automatically have their access to appellate review foreclosed because of failure to conform to requirements of the procedural rules. Id. In that light, we have carefully reviewed Rodriguess statements to the extent they can be discerned. We nevertheless conclude that no relief can be granted on this appeal.

For these reasons, the Circuit Courts January 25, 2021 Amended Judgment is affirmed.

Katherine G. Leonard Acting Chief Judge

Keith K. Hiraoka Associate Judge

Karen T. Nakasone Associate Judge

FOOTNOTES

1

.   The Honorable Kathleen N.A. Watanabe presided.