Opinion
NO. CAAP-14-0001153
07-30-2015
STATE OF HAWAI'I, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. KEOHOKUI A. KAUIHANA, Defendant-Appellant
On the briefs: Keohokui A. Kauihana Defendant-Appellant Pro Se Sinclair Salas-Ferguson Deputy Prosecuting Attorney County of Kauai for Plaintiff-Appellee
NOT FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST'S HAWAI'I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER APPEAL FROM THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
(CASE NO. 5DTI-14-000573)
SUMMARY DISPOSITION ORDER
(By: Nakamura, Chief Judge, Fujise and Leonard, JJ.)
Defendant-Appellant Keohokui Arnold Kauihana (Kauihana) appeals from the Judgment entered against him on the following traffic infractions: (1) delinquent vehicle tax; (2) fraudulent use of vehicle plates, tags, or emblems (two counts); (3) failure to keep certificate of registration in vehicle; and (4) failure to possess valid driver's license and insurance identification card (two counts). The Judgment was entered by the District Court of the Fifth Circuit (District Court) on September 5, 2014.
The Honorable Trudy K. Senda presided --------
On appeal, Kauihana seeks to overturn the District Court's Judgment based on his argument that the State of Hawai'i and the District Court lacked jurisdiction over him because he is under the jurisdiction of the Hawaiian Kingdom. We conclude that Kauihana's argument is without merit. See State v. Kaulia, 128 Hawai'i 479, 487, 291 P.3d 377, 385 (2013) ("Individuals claiming to be citizens of the Kingdom [of Hawai'i] and not of the State [of Hawai'i] are not exempt from application of the State's laws."); State v. Feraerstrom, 106 Hawai'i 43, 55, 101 P.3d 652, 664 (App. 2004) ("[T]he State of Hawai'i has lawful jurisdiction over all persons operating motor vehicles on public roads or highways within the State of Hawai'i. Persons claiming to be citizens of the Kingdom of Hawai'i and not of the State of Hawai'i are not exempt from the laws of the State of Hawai'i applicable to all persons (citizens and non-citizens) operating motor vehicles on public roads and highways within the State of Hawai'i."), aff'd, 106 Hawai'i 41, 101 P.3d. 225 (2004).
Accordingly, we affirm the District Court's Judgment.
DATED: Honolulu, Hawai'i, July 30, 2015. On the briefs: Keohokui A. Kauihana Defendant-Appellant Pro Se Sinclair Salas-Ferguson Deputy Prosecuting Attorney County of Kauai for Plaintiff-Appellee
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Chief Judge
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Associate Judge
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Associate Judge