Find Family Court Records in Hawaii County

Hawaii County family court records are maintained by the Third Circuit Court, which operates two divisions on the Big Island: one in Hilo and one in Kailua-Kona. Whether your case was filed on the east or west side of the island, this guide covers how to search Third Circuit family court records, request copies, and find local legal help.

Hawaii County Third Circuit Court

The Third Circuit Court serves the entire island of Hawaii. It is one of the larger circuits by land area but has a smaller population than Oahu. Family court cases are split between the Hilo Division (east side) and the Kona Division (west side). Both divisions handle divorce, child custody, adoption, paternity, guardianship, and domestic violence matters.

Both divisions accept in-person requests for Hawaii County family court records. The Hilo Legal Documents Branch fax is 808-961-7493, and the Kona branch fax is 808-322-8730. If you are not sure which division holds your records, contact Hilo first since that is where most island-wide filings are indexed. Mail requests sent to the wrong division will be forwarded but expect added delay.

Use the official Third Circuit contact page to confirm office hours and the correct division address before submitting a Hawaii County family court records request.

Search Hawaii County Family Court Records

The Hawaii Judiciary offers two free online search tools. eCourt Kokua shows basic case data for most circuit and district court cases. You can search by name or case number at no cost. It is good for confirming a case exists and finding the case number before going to the courthouse.

Ho'ohiki covers Family Court civil cases from 1983 to the present. This tool is especially useful for older Hawaii County family court filings. Search by full name or case ID. Note that adoption files, sealed dependency cases, and certain juvenile records will not appear in either system. Those require a court order to access.

Requesting Records from Third Circuit

In-person requests are the fastest way to get Hawaii County family court records. Bring a photo ID and provide the case number if you have it. If you do not have a case number, staff will run a name search for a $5 fee. Copies cost $1.00 per page. Certified copies add $2 per document. In-person requests are typically processed the same day, but high-volume days may extend the wait.

Mail requests take longer. Send your written request to the appropriate division (Hilo or Kona). Do not send payment with the form. The court will send you an invoice for copy fees after they locate the records. Pay by money order or cashier's check. Allow at least 10 business days for the court to process your request, and up to 15 to 20 business days for the response to reach you by mail.

Online access is available through eCourt Kokua and Ho'ohiki at no charge for basic case info. Downloading full documents online costs $3 per document (for documents of 1 to 30 pages). Subscriptions are available through the Hawaii Judiciary's eCourt system for high-volume users at $125 per quarter or $500 per year.

Types of Hawaii County Family Court Records

Hawaii County family court records cover several case types, each with its own access rules.

Divorce records are public and include all pleadings, financial disclosures, and the final decree. Child custody and support orders are generally open records. Paternity filings and parentage orders are also accessible to the public. Adoption records are sealed by statute and require a court order to open. Dependency and juvenile delinquency records are confidential. Guardianship petitions for minors and adults are public unless sealed by the court. Domestic violence TRO filings and the associated orders are public records in Hawaii County.

Historical family court records for Hawaii County date back to 1905. Pre-1970 records are often held at the Hawaii State Archives in Honolulu rather than at the courthouse. The Hawaii State Archives holds records from 1839 to 1970 across multiple record series, including Series 014, which covers Hamakua, Hilo, and Puna district records from 1853 to 1900. Contact the archives before planning a research trip since access requires an appointment.

For Hawaii County family court records predating 1970, contact the Hawaii State Archives directly, as these older files are not held at the courthouse.

Hawaii County Family Court Forms

The Hawaii Judiciary publishes all required Third Circuit family court forms online. The Hawaii County family court forms page organizes forms by case type. All forms must comply with Rule 9 format standards. Forms include divorce packets, TRO petitions, parentage and paternity forms, adoption petitions, and guardianship forms. Download directly from the judiciary website to make sure you have the current version.

For help completing forms, both divisions run self-help sessions. The Hilo Self-Help Center meets on Tuesdays and Fridays from 11:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. at Hale Kaulike, first floor, walk-in only. Call (808) 961-0609 for details. The Kona Self-Help Desk operates on Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Old Kona Hospital, 79-1020 Haukapila Street in Kealakekua.

Download current Hawaii County family court forms from the official judiciary site to make sure you are using the correct Rule 9-compliant versions.

Legal Framework for Hawaii County Records

Family court jurisdiction on the Big Island follows HRS Chapter 571, which sets the scope of what cases family courts may hear across all Hawaii circuits. This includes divorce, child custody and support, adoption, paternity, guardianship, domestic violence, and juvenile matters. The same statute applies statewide, so the rules for Hawaii County cases are the same as in Honolulu or Maui.

Public access to Hawaii County court records is controlled by HRS Chapter 92F (UIPA). The government must respond to record requests within 10 business days under HRS §92F-11. Courts also follow the Hawaii Rules of the Courts of Record for specific copy procedures. UIPA covers most family court records, with exceptions for sealed adoption files and confidential juvenile matters.

Legal Help in Hawaii County

Kids First is available at both courthouse locations. Call (808) 896-6465 for the Hilo division and (808) 322-8726 for Kona. The program supports parents and children going through custody and family court proceedings.

The East Hawaii Children's Justice Center is at 1290 Kinoole Street, Hilo, HI 96720, phone (808) 933-1605. The West Hawaii Children's Justice Center is at 77-6403 Nalani Street, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740, phone (808) 329-5261. Both centers serve children involved in family court and related proceedings.

Domestic abuse and TRO matters: Hilo (808) 969-7798; Kona (808) 443-2112. Juvenile Intake: Hilo (808) 961-7670; Kona (808) 443-2190. Adoption records: Hilo (808) 961-7670; Kona (808) 322-8700.

The Hilo Law Library is in Hale Kaulike, 777 Kilauea Avenue, phone (808) 961-7438, open Monday through Friday 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Kona Law Library is at the Old Kona Hospital, 79-1020 Haukapila Street, Kealakekua, phone (808) 322-8729, open Monday through Friday 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Both libraries provide free access to legal research materials and staff who can help you find the right forms.

Cities in Hawaii County

Hilo is the only community in Hawaii County that meets the population threshold for a dedicated family court records page.

Nearby Counties

All Hawaii county family court records are handled through their respective circuit courts.