Reviewed and updated October 9, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. The arrest counts are the ones each agency reported to the FBI, as the FBI held them on October 8, 2026. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site on September 24, 2026.
Honolulu County, Hawaii, has about 999,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). Its court cases are filed in the Circuit Court for Honolulu County and the District Court, and the file of each case, kept by the Legal Documents Branch of each circuit, is the public record of it. This guide says which court hears what, where to look a case up and who keeps the files.
This guide covers the courts, the records page, criminal cases, kinds of files, cities and common questions.
Related guides: Honolulu County public records, Honolulu County arrest records, Honolulu County warrants, Honolulu County inmate search, Honolulu County criminal records, Hawaii arrest records and Hawaii inmate search.
The Courts That Hear Cases from Honolulu County
In Honolulu County, the Circuit Court for Honolulu County hears felonies, civil cases over $40,000 and probate.
Below it, the District Court takes misdemeanors, traffic cases, small claims and civil cases up to $40,000.
Divorces go to the Family Court, and the file stays with the Family Court.
The Legal Documents Branch of each circuit keeps the files, and a copy of anything in a file comes from that office, under the court's own rules rather than the Uniform Information Practices Act.
Looking Up a Case from Honolulu County
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at courts.state.hi.us/legal_references/records/search_court_records (page title: Judiciary | Search Court Records), which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 24, 2026.
Statewide, eCourt Kokua is the Hawaii State Judiciary's free statewide case search.
What Reaches the Court from Honolulu County
Honolulu reported 33,503 arrests to the FBI for 2025; the Prosecuting Attorney decides which of those arrests become cases in the Circuit Court for Honolulu County or the District Court.
The Prosecuting Attorney's page SearchSystems verified is at honolulu.gov/clerk/clk-prosecuting-attorneys (page title: CLK- Prosecuting Attorneys | Office of the City Clerk), which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 24, 2026.
The Kinds of Court Files
Criminal cases, divorces, traffic tickets and evictions all end up as files of these courts, and the file is what the public sees of each.
The other Honolulu County guides take the kinds of file one at a time: Honolulu County criminal records, Honolulu County divorce records, Honolulu County DUI and Honolulu County property records.
Cities in Honolulu County
Wherever in the county a case arises, it is filed in the Circuit Court for Honolulu County or the District Court.
The one city in the county is Urban Honolulu.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I look up a court case in Honolulu County?
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at courts.state.hi.us. Statewide, eCourt Kokua is the Hawaii State Judiciary's free statewide case search.
Which court hears felonies in Honolulu County?
The Circuit Court for Honolulu County, which hears felonies, civil cases over $40,000 and probate. The District Court takes misdemeanors, traffic cases, small claims and civil cases up to $40,000.
Who keeps the court records in Honolulu County?
The Legal Documents Branch of each circuit. Copies come from that office under the court's own rules.
Is there a statewide court case search in Hawaii?
Yes: eCourt Kokua, the Hawaii State Judiciary's free statewide case search.
Is this the official Honolulu County website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.