Judge J. Michael Seabright
Name: John Michael “Mike” Seabright
Current Role: Senior Judge, U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii
Assumed Senior Status: January 30, 2024
Birth Details: Born January 30, 1959, Wheeling, West Virginia
Party Affiliation: Not publicly specified
Career Overview
Judge Seabright has served on the federal bench since 2005 and led his court as Chief Judge from 2015 to 2022. With decades of experience as both a federal prosecutor and trial judge, he is known for his thorough management of complex cases and clear enforcement of procedural standards.
Public Service & Judicial Experience
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Early career included private practice in Hawaiʻi from 1984 to 1987.
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Served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Columbia (1987-1990) and in the District of Hawaiʻi (1990-2005). In Hawaiʻi he later became supervisory assistant U.S. attorney (2001-2005).
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Nominated by President George W. Bush to the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaiʻi, confirmed by the U.S. Senate and commissioned on April 28, 2005.
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Served as Chief Judge of that court from November 6, 2015 to November 6, 2022.
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Assumed senior status on January 30, 2024.
Education and Early Life
Judge Seabright earned his Bachelor of Arts from Tulane University in 1981 and his Juris Doctor from The George Washington University Law School in 1984. He began his legal career in Hawaiʻi before entering federal service.
Major Rulings and Significant Opinions
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In October 2025, Judge Seabright issued a ruling disqualifying an Acting U.S. Attorney in the Central District of California for serving beyond the time limit permitted under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act. He found that the individual “was not lawfully serving” as Acting U.S. Attorney and thus could be disqualified from supervising criminal prosecutions. However, he allowed the underlying indictments to proceed because they had been signed by other authorized government attorneys.
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His opinion stressed the importance of the Senate confirmation process and the separation of powers embodied in the Vacancies Act.
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While based in Hawaiʻi, Judge Seabright has presided over significant criminal, civil-rights and public-corruption cases, applying rigorous docket control and procedural oversight (specific named Hawai‘i opinions are not as publicly cited).
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Below are three additional representative published rulings of Judge Seabright:
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Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi v. Nago (2013) — Seabright upheld Hawaiʻi’s open‐primary election system, finding that the plaintiff political party failed to show its First Amendment associational rights were “severely burdened”. Honolulu Civil Beat+1
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Reading International, Inc. v. The Malulani Group, Limited (2014) — In a civil contract/dispute case in the District of Hawaiʻi, Seabright granted the defendant’s renewed motion for summary judgment, concluding no genuine issue of material fact remained on the last remaining claim. Justia Law
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Bird v. Dzurenda (2025) — Sitting by designation in the Ninth Circuit, Seabright joined the panel that reversed the district court’s denial of qualified immunity to state prison officials. The case addressed the First Amendment right to petition and qualified immunity. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
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Public Image and Focus
Judge Seabright is regarded as a careful and deliberate jurist who expects professionalism, clear briefing and timely disposition of matters. His background as a federal prosecutor gives him a strong command of criminal-law issues, and his tenure as Chief Judge reflects recognition of his leadership within the federal judiciary.
Personal Life
Public records focus primarily on his professional trajectory. Born in West Virginia and relocating to Hawaiʻi for much of his career, Judge Seabright has maintained a relatively private personal life.
Fast Facts
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Born January 30, 1959, in Wheeling, West Virginia.
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BA, Tulane University (1981).
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JD, George Washington University Law School (1984).
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Appointed to U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaiʻi on April 28, 2005.
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Chief Judge of the District of Hawaiʻi, November 6, 2015 to November 6, 2022.
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Assumed senior status on January 30, 2024.
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In 2025 issued a notable opinion enforcing the Vacancies Reform Act in the Central District of California.
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Known for overseeing both criminal and civil docket matters in federal court.
