Multiple outlets reported that the Hawaii Supreme Court unanimously upheld Maui Circuit Judge Peter Cahill’s attorney fee structure for the $4 billion Lahaina wildfire settlement, rejecting an appeal brought by three attorneys and one fire victim. The ruling removes the final legal obstacle to releasing approximately $1.1 billion already held in trust to roughly 21,750 victims. The court did strike down provisions that had barred attorneys from appealing their fee awards, finding those restrictions unconstitutional.
- The Hawaii Supreme Court ruled on September 30, 2026, upholding Judge Peter Cahill’s tiered attorney fee structure for the $4.037 billion Lahaina wildfire settlement
- The ruling clears the way for approximately $1.1 billion already sitting in a settlement trust account to be distributed to 21,750 victims
- Judge Cahill’s order capped attorney fees at 8% of settlement funds and established a $222 million Common Benefit Fund for Hawaii-based attorneys, allocated based on work contributed to the overall case
- Out-of-state attorneys were not eligible for the Common Benefit Fund, limiting them to the 8% cap only (Aloha State Daily)
- The appeal was brought by attorneys Anthony Ranken, Alex Edrenkin, and John Thickstun — representing more than 1,000 victims — along with fire victim Michael Bates, who argued Cahill lacked jurisdiction once individual lawsuits were dismissed
- The court rejected that jurisdictional argument, finding the special judicial proceeding created after the disaster never formally closed
- Justice Todd Eddins authored the opinion; the court struck down provisions in Cahill’s order that had barred appeals of Common Fee Review Board decisions, ruling those anti-appeal clauses unconstitutional
- The August 8, 2023 Lahaina fire killed 102 people and destroyed most of the town; total damage claims were estimated at $12–$15 billion against the $4 billion settlement (The Garden Island)
Sources
- Hawaii Free Press: Hawaii high court lets lawyers keep $222M from Maui fire settlement
- Hoodline: Hawaii Supreme Court Upholds Maui Fire Attorney Fee Caps
- Aloha State Daily: Aloha State Daily | State Supreme Court ends dispute over Maui fire settlement lawyer fees
- The Garden Island: Hawaii Supreme Court upholds Maui wildfire attorney fee caps
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