State v. Bunag

Supreme Court of the State of Hawaiʻi · February 18, 2026 · No. SCWC-24-0000539

Summary

The Supreme Court of the State of Hawaiʻi accepted Alden Bunag’s application for a writ of certiorari in a criminal case appealed from the Intermediate Court of Appeals. The court ordered that no oral argument would be heard unless a party moved for retention of oral argument within ten days under Hawaiʻi Rules of Appellate Procedure Rule 34(c).

Court
Supreme Court of the State of Hawaiʻi
Writing for the Court
Per curiam; Sabrina S. McKenna, Acting Chief Justice; Todd W. Eddins, Justice; Lisa M. Ginoza, Justice; Vladimir P. Devens, Justice; Michelle L. Drewyer, Circuit Judge, assigned by reason of vacancy
Jurisdiction
Supreme Court of the State of Hawaiʻi
Decision date
February 18, 2026
Docket number
SCWC-24-0000539
Procedural posture
Petitioner/Defendant-Appellant Alden Bunag applied for a writ of certiorari from the Intermediate Court of Appeals. The Supreme Court accepted the application and ordered that no oral argument would be heard unless a party moved for retention of oral argument under Hawaiʻi Rules of Appellate Procedure Rule 34(c).
Precedential value
Published
Parties
Alden Bunag v. State of Hawaiʻi
Disposition
cert_granted

Topics

writ of certiorariappellate jurisdictionappellate procedure

Practice areas

appellate procedurecriminal procedure

Questions Presented

  1. Whether to accept Alden Bunag's application for a writ of certiorari.
  2. Whether oral argument would be heard in the certiorari proceeding absent a motion for retention under Hawaiʻi Rules of Appellate Procedure Rule 34(c).

Holdings

  1. The Supreme Court of Hawaiʻi accepted Alden Bunag's application for a writ of certiorari.
  2. No oral argument would be heard unless a party moved within ten days for retention of oral argument pursuant to Hawaiʻi Rules of Appellate Procedure Rule 34(c).

Key quotations

Petitioner/Defendant-Appellant Alden Bunag’s application for writ of certiorari filed on January 5, 2026, is accepted.
It is further ordered, that no oral argument will be heard in this case.

Factual background

The order contains no substantive factual findings regarding the underlying criminal case. It concerns only the procedural acceptance of Bunag's application for a writ of certiorari and the decision not to hear oral argument absent a motion under Rule 34(c).

Procedural history

The case reached the Supreme Court of Hawaiʻi on Bunag's application for a writ of certiorari following proceedings in the Intermediate Court of Appeals. The Supreme Court accepted the application on February 18, 2026, without deciding the merits.

Court Document

Open PDF
Loading document…