Documents Reveal How Hawaii AG Selects Outside Counsel to fight Second Amendment Cases
News Release from HIFICO, March 19, 2026
Hawaiʻi Firearms Coalition recently obtained a series of documents from the Attorney General’s office through a UIPA request.
These records provide insight into how the State of Hawaiʻi defended its firearm laws in federal court — including litigation that reached the United States Supreme Court.
Over the next several days, we will be releasing all 14 documents in this set. Our goal is to provide transparency and help the public better understand how outside counsel was selected, how agreements were structured, and how these cases were handled behind the scenes.
This is not about speculation — it is about sharing the actual records and allowing the public to see the process for themselves.
Document 1: Executed Georgetown ICAP Proposal (June 23, 2023)
The first document is an agreement between the State of Hawaiʻi and the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection (ICAP) at Georgetown Law.
In this agreement:
• ICAP agrees to represent the State as co-counsel in Wolford v. Lopez, a federal case challenging Hawaiʻi’s firearm laws
• The representation is provided at no cost to the State for attorney fees
• The agreement allows ICAP to assist with litigation, including appeals
• Law students may also support the case under attorney supervision
• The scope of work is limited specifically to this case
This document shows the State beginning to assemble a team of outside legal counsel — including nationally recognized constitutional litigators — to defend its laws.
We will continue releasing additional documents in the coming days, including materials related to the selection of outside counsel, contract approvals, and associated expenses.
We want to hear from you:
As we release each document, take a look and let us know what stands out to you. What do you think are the most important details or takeaways?
Follow along as we review each document and explain what it means.