Kukui's guardian at litem for the duration of the trial is Guzma's father, a wealthy prosecutor who takes on GAL cases pro bono. Guzma (somewhat unintentionally) gets to know Kukui, bonding with him over their love of pokemon, and they become fast friends.

However, Guzma does not like Kapono, mostly because Guzma's father knows his family (golfing buddies) and regularly says vitriolic/racist/homophobic things about their family. While Guzma doesn't necessarily comprehend the sentiment, he sublimates it by teasing Kapono for his skinny build, nerdiness, and somewhat queer characteristics (though he is currently not aware of his own sexuality). They do not create a cohesive friend group, and Kukui spends less and less time with Kapono as a result.