Mark J. Bennett
Encyclopedia
Mark J. Bennett is a Honolulu, Hawaii
attorney and served as Attorney General of Hawaii
from 2003 to 2010 in the two-term administration of Republican
Governor
Linda Lingle
. He is the first attorney general appointed by a Republican governor since the governorship of William F. Quinn
, the first elected governor of the state. Bennett was preceded in office by Earl I. Anzai
and later succeeded to the office by David M. Louie
.
In 1976, Bennett obtained his bachelor of arts
degree in political science
from Union College
in Schenectady
. He attended Cornell University
Cornell Law School
in Ithaca
where he sat on the Board of Editors of the Cornell Law Review
. There, he received his Juris Doctor
in 1979. After leaving law school, Bennett became clerk to Samuel Pailthorpe King
who served as chief judge of the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii
. Completing his clerkship, Bennett became Assistant United States Attorney
serving in Washington, D.C.
from 1980 to 1982 and in Honolulu until 1990. In 1991, Bennett went into private legal practice as a partner at the firm of McCorriston Miller Mukai MacKinnon LLP. At the same time, he worked pro-bono for the attorney general's office and taught at the William S. Richardson School of Law
.
In rare fashion but as prescribed by law, from August 25 to September 3, 2004, Bennett served as Acting Governor of Hawaii
upon the absence of Governor Linda Lingle and Lt. Governor
James Aiona
. The executives left the Hawaiian Islands to attend the 2004 Republican National Convention
in New York City
.
He is married to Honolulu attorney Patricia Tomi Ohara.
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
attorney and served as Attorney General of Hawaii
Attorney General of Hawaii
The Attorney General of Hawaii is the chief legal and law enforcement officer of Hawaii. In present-day statehood within the United States, he or she is appointed by the elected governor with the approval of the state senate and is responsible for a state department charged with advising the...
from 2003 to 2010 in the two-term administration of Republican
Hawaii Republican Party
The Hawaii Republican Party is the state affiliate of the Republican Party of the United States. Based in Honolulu, the party is a central organization established for the promotion of the party platform as it is drafted in convention every other year...
Governor
Governor of Hawaii
The Governor of Hawaii is the chief executive of the state of Hawaii and its various agencies and departments, as provided in the Hawaii State Constitution Article V, Sections 1 through 6. It is a directly elected position, votes being cast by popular suffrage of residents of the state...
Linda Lingle
Linda Lingle
Linda Lingle was the sixth Governor of Hawaii. Lingle holds a number of distinctions: first Republican elected governor of Hawaii since the departure of William F...
. He is the first attorney general appointed by a Republican governor since the governorship of William F. Quinn
William F. Quinn
William Francis Quinn was the Governor of the Territory of Hawai'i from 1957 to 1959 and the Governor of the State of Hawai'i from 1959 to 1962. Originally appointed to the office by President Dwight D...
, the first elected governor of the state. Bennett was preceded in office by Earl I. Anzai
Earl I. Anzai
Earl I. Anzai served as Attorney General of Hawaii from 1999 to 2002, appointed by Governor of Hawaii Benjamin J. Cayetano. A career Democrat, Anzai also served as state budget director from 1995 to 1999 and Office of Hawaiian Affairs special counsel from 1990 to 1994...
and later succeeded to the office by David M. Louie
David M. Louie
David M. Louie is a second generation Chinese American, serving as Attorney General of Hawaii.-Early Life and Education:Born in Oakland, Louie was raised in Los Angeles by his father Paul and mother Emma...
.
In 1976, Bennett obtained his bachelor of arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
from Union College
Union College
Union College is a private, non-denominational liberal arts college located in Schenectady, New York, United States. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents. In the 19th century, it became the "Mother of Fraternities", as...
in Schenectady
Schenectady, New York
Schenectady is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 66,135...
. He attended Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
Cornell Law School
Cornell Law School
Cornell Law School, located in Ithaca, New York, is a graduate school of Cornell University and one of the five Ivy League law schools. The school confers three law degrees...
in Ithaca
Ithaca, New York
The city of Ithaca, is a city in upstate New York and the county seat of Tompkins County, as well as the largest community in the Ithaca-Tompkins County metropolitan area...
where he sat on the Board of Editors of the Cornell Law Review
Cornell Law Review
The Cornell Law Review is the flagship legal journal of Cornell Law School. Originally published in 1915 as the Cornell Law Quarterly, the journal features scholarship in all fields of law. Notably, past issues of the Cornell Law Review have included articles by Supreme Court justices Robert H....
. There, he received his Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
in 1979. After leaving law school, Bennett became clerk to Samuel Pailthorpe King
Samuel Pailthorpe King
Samuel Pailthorpe King was an American lawyer and judge. Since 1972 he served as judge on the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii.-Life:...
who served as chief judge of the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii
United States District Court for the District of Hawaii
The United States District Court for the District of Hawaii is the principal trial court of the United States Federal Court System in the state of Hawaii. It is located at the Prince Kuhio Federal Building in downtown Honolulu, fronting the Aloha Tower and Honolulu Harbor. The court hears both...
. Completing his clerkship, Bennett became Assistant United States Attorney
United States Attorney
United States Attorneys represent the United States federal government in United States district court and United States court of appeals. There are 93 U.S. Attorneys stationed throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands...
serving in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
from 1980 to 1982 and in Honolulu until 1990. In 1991, Bennett went into private legal practice as a partner at the firm of McCorriston Miller Mukai MacKinnon LLP. At the same time, he worked pro-bono for the attorney general's office and taught at the William S. Richardson School of Law
William S. Richardson School of Law
The William S. Richardson School of Law is a public, co-educational institution of the University of Hawaii at Mānoa in Honolulu, Hawaii. Named after the beloved Hawaii State Supreme Court Chief Justice William S. Richardson, it is the only law school in the State of Hawaii...
.
In rare fashion but as prescribed by law, from August 25 to September 3, 2004, Bennett served as Acting Governor of Hawaii
Acting governor
An acting governor is a constitutional position created in some U.S. states when the governor dies in office or resigns. In some states, the governor may also be declared to be incapacitated and unable to function for various reasons, including illness and absence from the state for more than a...
upon the absence of Governor Linda Lingle and Lt. Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii
The Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii, concurrently the Secretary of State of Hawaii, is the assistant chief executive of that U.S. state and its various agencies and departments, as provided in the Hawaii State Constitution Article V, Sections 2 though 6. He or she is elected by popular suffrage of...
James Aiona
James Aiona
James R. "Duke" Aiona, Jr. is an American politician who served as Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii from 2002 to 2010. He is of Hawaiian, Chinese, and Portuguese descent...
. The executives left the Hawaiian Islands to attend the 2004 Republican National Convention
2004 Republican National Convention
The 2004 Republican National Convention, the presidential nominating convention of the Republican Party of the United States, took place from August 30 to September 2, 2004 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
He is married to Honolulu attorney Patricia Tomi Ohara.