James Case ’37

Jim Case devoted his six decade-plus law career to representing agribusiness in Hawai‘i. As an advocate in his community, he also used his legal skills to successfully fight for the rights of thousands of individual landowners to own their properties in fee versus leasing the land under their homes from a few large landowners. He also helped to transform the electric utilities on the islands of Hawai‘i and Kaua‘i, changing the model from many small companies providing inadequate service, to large, full-service companies serving the entire island.

 

“I always did it for the good of the county and the citizens, not for anything personal,” Case said in recorded remarks played at the PAA awards ceremony. “We did a lot of things that protected people’s lives and made it better for the community.”

 

Outside of his legal career, he helped create facilities to make life easier and fuller for people with mental development challenges. He also worked with a retirement residence to become a charitable organization.

 

Case recently celebrated his 102^nd birthday with family in person and on Zoom. He was represented at the June ceremony by his daughters, Suzanne ’74 and Betsy ’81. Case passed away in September 2022.