Media Mention
Maui Now

A recent Maui Now article, "Investigators spent months searching for a man unaccounted for in Lahaina fire. Now his 6 children are asking the court to declare him deceased," highlights the ongoing legal efforts of Singleton Schreiber in representing families affected by the devastating Lahaina wildfire.

The article discusses the tragic case of Elmer Lee Stevens, one of the last two individuals still listed as missing from the August 2023 Lahaina fire. After extensive searches yielded no results, Stevens' six children have now filed a petition with the Second Circuit Court on Maui to have their father legally declared deceased.

Singleton Schreiber Partner Paul Starita, who represents the Stevens family, shared the emotional toll this has taken on his clients:

“It’s been horrible. They lost their mother and they lost their father. That’s tough on any family, but you always know that your parent is there still and there’s a difference. There’s always hope, maybe we can work this out … and then you end up with a situation like this where now there’s no hope. Now everyone knows the same truth, which is he perished in the fire.”

Starita emphasized that this petition is not just about legal closure but also a necessary step for the family to seek justice:

“In order to either make a claim or someone’s wrongful death, whether you’re filing a lawsuit or you’re making a claim as part of the settlement, you have to have a determination that that person is dead. The only way you’re going to get a death certificate is if you now have a judicial determination of death.”

Singleton Schreiber represents over 2,200 clients impacted by the Lahaina fire, fighting to hold those responsible accountable.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Sign Up

Related Attorneys

Related News

Jump to Page

Necessary Cookies

Necessary cookies enable core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility. You may disable these by changing your browser settings, but this may affect how the website functions.

Analytical Cookies

Analytical cookies help us improve our website by collecting and reporting information on its usage. We access and process information from these cookies at an aggregate level.