Derrick Kahala Watson at a glance
- Current role
- Judge
- Court
- U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii
- Jurisdiction
- Hawaii · Federal
- Judicial service
- April 23, 2013–present
Derrick Kahala Watson
Judge · U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii
Available research
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Biography
Professional career
- chief, Civil Division, 2009-2013
- Assistant U.S. attorney, District of Hawaii, 2007-2013
- Private practice, San Francisco, CA, 2000-2007
- deputy chief, Civil Division, 1999-2000
- U.S. Army Reserve captain, JAG Corps, 1998-2006
- Assistant U.S. attorney, Northern District of California, 1995-2000
- Private practice, San Francisco, CA, 1991-1995
Judicial service
- Judge, District Court, D. Hawaii, 2013-present
- judge
Education
- Harvard University · A.B., 1988
- Kamehameha Schools
Personal record
Born 1966 · Honolulu, HI
Courtroom rules and guidance
Presentation Procedure
Judge-specific source
Any such device is subject to security inspection. Inside a courtroom, no person may use an electronic device for any purpose, except attorneys of record, who are authorized to use an electronic device only in connection with a then ongoing, case-related FILED IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF HAWAII Lucy H. Carrillo, Clerk…DKW%20General%20and%20Trial%20Procedures%20Order.pdf ↗
Civil Remote Testimony
In federal district-court civil proceedings, testimony is ordinarily taken in open court; remote contemporaneous testimony requires good cause in compelling circumstances and appropriate safeguards.
For good cause in compelling circumstances and with appropriate safeguards, the court may permit testimony in open court by contemporaneous transmission from a different location.Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court ↗
Criminal Recording And Broadcasting
Federal district courts may not permit courtroom photography or broadcasting during criminal judicial proceedings unless a statute or another federal rule provides an exception.
Except as otherwise provided by a statute or these rules, the court must not permit the taking of photographs in the courtroom during judicial proceedings or the broadcasting of judicial proceedings from the courtroom.Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited ↗
Sources
Federal Judicial Center biography
Identity source · HTML · checked July 25, 2026
https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394181CourtListener judicial biographical directory
Identity source · HTML · checked August 2, 2026
https://www.courtlistener.com/person/3392/derrick-kahala-watson/DKW%20General%20and%20Trial%20Procedures%20Order.pdf
Judge research source · PDF · checked July 24, 2026
https://www.hid.uscourts.gov/cms/assets/63878c50-432a-42e3-902e-d9e9ec97a328/DKW%20General%20and%20Trial%20Procedures%20Order.pdfFederal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court
Judge research source · HTML · checked July 26, 2026
https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-civil-procedureFederal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited
Judge research source · HTML · checked July 26, 2026
https://www.uscourts.gov/court-records/access-court-proceedings/remote-public-access-proceedings/history-cameras-broadcasting-and-remote-public-access-courts