Honolulu County Court Records Lookup

The following is for information purposes only

With a population of more than 1.1 million, Honolulu County is a consolidated city-county in Hawaii, with Honolulu serving as the county seat. Circuit Courts, District Courts, and Family Courts comprise the Honolulu County trial court system. Circuit and District Courts have Divisions known as Family Courts. Although they often only take on matters that fall outside the purview of other courts, Circuit Courts have general jurisdiction over the majority of civil and criminal proceedings. However, certain categories of criminal and civil cases are within the limited jurisdiction of District Courts.

The O'ahu First Circuit Court, in Honolulu, handles the most serious matters. This includes felonies, civil cases exceeding $20,000, probate, guardianships, and most family law cases. It has exclusive jurisdiction over felonies, probate, and most guardianships. O'ahu First Circuit District Courts handle less serious matters. This includes misdemeanors, traffic violations, and civil cases under $20,000 (except landlord-tenant cases). They have exclusive jurisdiction over cases under $10,000. Each District Court has a Small Claims Division for cases under $3,500. District Courts cannot handle jury trials, certain types of civil cases (like real estate disputes), or some criminal cases (like domestic violence against a child). The county's Family Court handles most family law cases, including divorce, child support, and juvenile matters. Family Court judges can assign cases to either Circuit or District Family Court Divisions. The Family Court has exclusive jurisdiction over juvenile cases. It also handles some domestic violence-related criminal cases.

The Honolulu County court system hears more than 28,800 cases annually, which offers important insights into the evolution of the county's legal system. With a crime rate of 2,880.9 per 100,000 residents, the county serves as a prime example of the advantages of having a strong judicial system. The Hawaii State Judiciary is responsible for maintaining electronic court records in Honolulu County. The public can use the Search Court Records Portal to view these records. The public can see traffic cases, and criminal and civil matters from the District, Circuit, and Family courts on this portal.

In summary, the Honolulu County court system is a crucial facet of the county administration, committed to upholding justice in a range of judicial proceedings. The Circuit Courts, District Courts, and Family Courts that make up the county's rich legal system enable it to handle a broad variety of cases. The Honolulu County judicial system has gained public trust due to the use of an electronic system that ensures accessibility and transparency while safeguarding court data.