How to Search Hawaii Court Records (Start Here)

Hawaii court records are filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court (state-run). The Circuit Court / District Court handles trial-level cases. Hawaii offers a statewide court search through Hawaii eCourt Kokua, which covers most case types across all counties courts.

What this page covers: Hawaii state court case records — criminal, civil, family, and probate filings. What it does not cover: Federal court cases (those are on PACER) or sealed/juvenile records.

Where to start: Use Hawaii eCourt Kokua for online case search. If you need documents beyond docket information, contact the Clerk of the Circuit Court (state-run) in the specific county where the case was filed.

Common mistake: Hawaii eCourt Kokua covers state courts only. Federal cases filed in Hawaii (bankruptcy, federal criminal, federal civil) require PACER — a separate federal system.

Trial court of general jurisdiction
United States District Court for the District of Hawaii - Wikipedia
Highest court
Judiciary | Supreme Court of the State of Hawaii
Statewide civil case search
Hawaii District Court | PACER: Federal Court Records
Statewide criminal docket search
Hawaii District Court | PACER: Federal Court Records
Federal courts
Hawaii District Court | PACER: Federal Court Records
Number of counties
5 counties
Population
1,450,589
Households
478,800
Median Income
$95,322
Median Home Value
$715,000
SearchSystems Editorial
Edited by — Editor & Owner, SearchSystems.net. Public records professional since 1999. NAPBS founding member. Full bio & credentials.
Last reviewed: June 04, 2026 · Methodology: all Hawaii court URLs verified against the official .gov / state-judiciary publisher on the review date. 2 primary .gov / .uscourts.gov sources cited below.

Hawaii Court Records — Key Numbers (FY2025)

Hawaii's FY2025 Annual Caseload Report shows 3,193 supplemental proceedings filed at the appellate level.
3,193 appellate
Hawaii filings
FY2025
FY2025
Latest fiscal year
Official .gov data
.gov
Primary source
Never data brokers
Free
Public access
Most case records
June 04, 2026
Last reviewed
By SearchSystems editorial
How to access court records — typical costs
Search online
$0
View docket entry
$0
Download document
$1
Certified copy
$5
Expungement filing
$50
Unit: USD typical fee. Fees and access policies vary by court; see Primary Sources below.

What Changed in 2026 — Hawaii Court Records

2026
Hawaii FY2025 caseload report active
The Hawaii State Judiciary publishes its current FY2025 case filings, dispositions, and trends on the official statistics portal.
2026
Hawaii statewide case-access portal live
Hawaii State Judiciary's public case-access portal continues to operate at www.courts.state.hi.us with statewide coverage.
2026
Latest Hawaii judiciary annual report
The most recent annual report from the Hawaii State Judiciary is publicly available with full statistical addenda.
2026
Hawaii courts main directory
Hawaii's primary judicial-branch directory at www.courts.state.hi.us continues to be the canonical entry point for all state court matters.

The 4-Step Hawaii Court Records Pathway

1
Step 1 — Identify the court level
In Hawaii, civil and criminal trial cases sit in Hawaii State Judiciary trial courts. Appellate matters go to the state's appellate courts.
2
Step 2 — Use the state case-access portal
Start at https://www.courts.state.hi.us/legal_references/records/jims_system_availability — the official public case-access for Hawaii.
3
Step 3 — Federal cases are separate
Federal cases involving Hawaii parties live on PACER (pacer.uscourts.gov), not the state system.
4
Step 4 — Sealed / expunged records
Records sealed or expunged under Hawaii law are NOT searchable on public portals. To verify, contact the originating court clerk directly.

Five Things People Get Wrong About Hawaii Court Records

❌ Myth: "Hawaii court records are on PACER."
✓ Truth: False. PACER only has federal cases. Hawaii state court records live on www.courts.state.hi.us.
❌ Myth: "All Hawaii case files are free."
✓ Truth: Partly true. Searching and viewing dockets is usually free. Downloading full documents or certified copies often costs $1-$5 per item.
❌ Myth: "Sealed = deleted in Hawaii."
✓ Truth: False. Sealed records still exist — they're just hidden from public search. The court clerk and law enforcement can still access them.
❌ Myth: "Third-party search sites are official."
✓ Truth: False. Only www.courts.state.hi.us and the linked official portals are authoritative for Hawaii.
❌ Myth: "Same-day filings show online immediately."
✓ Truth: False. Most Hawaii courts have a 24-48 hour processing lag before new filings appear in public search.

Primary Sources (All .gov / Official)

Related Court Records Resources

Related Public Records
National view of this topic: All states: Court records
Sample Hawaii counties: Hawaii · Honolulu · Kauai · Maui

Court Records Databases

5 official Hawaii court records sources.

Court Records

Judiciary | Hawaii Appellate Court Opinions and Orders
Official Free
This site includes (1) court opinions designated for publication in West’s Hawaii Reports and West’s Pacific Reporter, (2) memorandum opinions, (3) summary disposition orders, and (4) other final orders that dispose of appeals or original proceedings decided by the Hawaii Supreme Court and the Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals (ICA) that are not confidential. “For Publication” means the disposition is to be published in West’s Hawaii Reports and West’s Pacific Reporter and may be cited as precedent under Hawaii Rules of Appellate Procedure Rule 35.
🌐 courts.state.hi.us
Judiciary
Official Free
Search Court Records · Access Court Forms Online · Efiling · Get Jury Information (eJuror) Download Hawaii Courts App · Get Info About DUI (from ADLRO) Find out About Scam Alerts · Find Jobs with the Judiciary · Resolve My Dispute Out of Court · Get Foreclosure Information ·
🌐 courts.state.hi.us
eCrim | Hawaii's Adult Criminal Information
Official Free
eCrim allows you to search for and view an individual's conviction information from HCJDC's criminal history record files .
🌐 ecrim.ehawaii.gov
Live Database
Official Paid
Welcome to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Hawaii ... Access to documents in cases filed before December 1, 2003, and which have been closed for more than a year may be restricted in PACER . Documents in these cases may be viewed via the Internet only by parties in the ...
🌐 ecf.hib.uscourts.gov
Uscourts
Official Paid
This site is maintained by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts on behalf of the Federal Judiciary. PACER Service Center (800) 676-6856 pacer@psc.uscourts.gov
🌐 ecf.hid.uscourts.gov

Hawaii Counties

All 5 Hawaii counties. Click any county for local court, sheriff, recorder and assessor links.

Honolulu Hawaii Maui Kauai

Frequently Asked Questions

Hawaii's trial courts publish case lookups through the Hawaii State Judiciary. Start at www.courts.state.hi.us — most case dockets, filings, and hearing calendars are searchable by name, case number, or filing date. County-level clerks publish additional searches; see the cards below for direct county court links.

The Hawaii State Judiciary operates Hawaii's official statewide judicial portal at www.courts.state.hi.us. Basic case lookups are typically free of charge; certified copies and bulk-data exports may incur a per-document or per-search fee. Federal cases for Hawaii residents are searched separately through PACER.

Trial courts in Hawaii handle the original filing of civil, criminal, family, probate, and traffic matters. Appellate courts review questions of law from trial-court decisions. The Hawaii State Judiciary publishes the full court structure, judge rosters, and jurisdiction maps at www.courts.state.hi.us.

Online coverage varies by court and case type. Most Hawaii county courts have digitized records from approximately the late 1990s or early 2000s forward; older case files may require an in-person clerk visit or a written record request. Check the Hawaii State Judiciary portal at www.courts.state.hi.us for each court's coverage window.

No. Hawaii courts redact or remove sealed, expunged, juvenile, and certain confidential records from public-facing searches as required by state statute and court rule. If a record was previously visible and has since been sealed, it will no longer appear in the Hawaii State Judiciary portal. For verification you can contact the county clerk where the case was filed.