[3] In 1914 Kemp became the judge of Coke County, Texas, serving in that capacity until 1916, when he moved to Honolulu to become assistant United States Attorney.

[3] Kemp was appointed to the First Circuit court of Hawaii on March 20, 1917,[1] by President Woodrow Wilson.

[3] On March 7, 1918, Wilson elevated Kemp to serve as an associate justice of the Territorial Supreme Court.

[3] Kemp retired from the court on April 17, 1922, when Kemp "retired to private practice in partnership with S. C. Huber, former United States attorney for Hawaii", also serving as president and director of the Hawaii Lumber Co., Ltd.[3] Kemp returned to public service in the 1930s, serving as a member of the Board of Prison Directors from July 27, 1935 to September 3, 1935, and of the Hawaii Housing Authority from August 27, 1935 to January 11, 1937.

On June 20, 1941, Kemp returned to the Hawaii Supreme Court as Chief Justice,[1] having been appointed to the position by President Franklin D.