Searching Honolulu County Court Records
How do I search Honolulu County court records online?
Use eCourt Kōkua through the Hawaii Judiciary website. Pick Party Search, Vehicle Search, Case Search, or Upcoming Court Hearings Search. The portal covers public Traffic, District, Circuit, Family civil and criminal, Land Court, Tax Appeal, Intermediate Court of Appeals, and Supreme Court cases. Confidential, juvenile, and sealed cases do not appear. Public terminals at most courthouses provide free on-screen viewing. More detail: court records.
Is searching eCourt Kōkua free?
Yes. Searching public case information is free. Viewing documents at courthouse public terminals is also free. Buying a copy costs $3 for a document of 1 to 30 pages, with an extra $0.10 per page over 30. Certified electronic copies add $2 per document. A subscription costs $125 quarterly or $500 yearly. More detail: Clerk of Court.
Why can't I find a case in eCourt Kōkua?
The case may be confidential, juvenile, or sealed; the case number format may be wrong; the document may be too old for online posting; the filing may not be entered yet; the spelling may be off; or the case may not be in the public system. Try partial or phonetic search and check the legacy 12-character case number conversion if the case is older. More detail: court records.
How current is eCourt Kōkua?
The Judiciary publishes system availability but does not guarantee real-time updates. eCourt Kōkua is available Monday through Saturday from 4:00 a.m. to midnight Hawaii time and Sunday from noon to midnight. Newly filed cases, tickets, or orders may not appear right away. For traffic tickets, the Judiciary says entry can take 13 days or longer.
Honolulu County Clerk and Courthouses
Does Honolulu County have a county clerk for court records?
No, not in the mainland sense. Hawaii courts are state-operated. Court records are held by Judiciary clerks and Legal Documents Branches, especially the First Circuit Legal Documents Branch, the District Court Legal Documents Branch, the Family Court Legal Documents Branch, and the Estate & Probate Branch. The City and County of Honolulu Clerk handles legislative, elections, and municipal records, not court records. More detail: Clerk of Court.
What is the main Honolulu County courthouse?
For Circuit Court, probate, felony, and major civil records, the main building is Kaʻahumanu Hale, 777 Punchbowl Street, Honolulu, HI 96813-5093. The Honolulu District Court is at Kauikeaouli Hale, 1111 Alakea Street. The First Circuit Family Court is at the Kapolei Judiciary Complex, 4675 Kapolei Parkway, Kapolei, HI 96707-3272. More detail: Circuit Court.
What does a Honolulu County Circuit Court do?
The First Circuit Court hears felony criminal cases, civil cases over $40,000, probate, guardianship, agency appeals, and other higher-level matters for Oʻahu. It shares concurrent non-jury civil jurisdiction with the District Court from $10,000 to $40,000. More detail: Circuit Court.
Marriage, Divorce, and Probate
Where do I get Honolulu County divorce records after February 1, 2026?
The Department of Health no longer maintains divorce records as of February 1, 2026. Request divorce documentation from the court where the divorce was granted. For Oʻahu, use Kaʻahumanu Hale Legal Documents Branch at (808) 539-4300 or Kapolei Family Court Legal Documents at (808) 954-8310. More detail: marriage and divorce records.
Where do I apply for a Honolulu County marriage license?
Marriage licenses are handled by the Hawaii Department of Health, not by the court. The Oʻahu marriage license office is tied to the Vital Records office at 1250 Punchbowl Street, Honolulu, HI 96813. Marriage License Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. More detail: marriage and divorce records.
Who can get a certified Honolulu County marriage certificate?
Certified vital records are limited to applicants with a direct and tangible interest, such as the registrant, the registrant's spouse, a parent, a descendant, a common-ancestor relative, a legal guardian, or an authorized representative.
Where do I find Honolulu County probate records?
Search eCourt Kōkua by Case ID or party name. For copies, contact the First Circuit Estate & Probate Branch at (808) 539-4399 or the Circuit Court Legal Documents Branch at (808) 539-4300. Circuit Court has exclusive probate and guardianship jurisdiction in Hawaii. More detail: probate records.
OCCC, Inmate Search, and Release
Where is the Honolulu County jail roster?
There is no public Honolulu County sheriff-style roster. Oʻahu jail custody is run by the state DCR at the Oʻahu Community Correctional Center. Use Hawaii SAVIN/VINELink for custody and parole status and HPD arrest logs for recent adult arrests. More detail: inmate records.
How do I find out if someone was released from OCCC?
Use SAVIN/VINELink or call OCCC at (808) 832-1777. SAVIN provides free, anonymous custody and parole notifications by email, text, phone, or app for DCR offenders. It does not cover federal inmates or police-cellblock arrestees before court processing. More detail: released inmates.
How do I visit someone at OCCC?
Call (808) 832-1633 between 9:00 a.m. and noon, Monday through Friday, to schedule. Visits run seven days a week except holidays, from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in assigned blocks. Visits are 30 minutes, non-contact, one per inmate per week, with no more than two visitors at a time including children. More detail: inmate records.
Traffic Tickets and Citations
Can I pay a Honolulu County traffic ticket online?
Yes, if it is a payable traffic or parking infraction, you admit responsibility, and you pay within 21 days. Use eTraffic Hawaiʻi. You need the citation, license plate number, and a Visa or MasterCard. Do not use eTraffic if you deny the offense or want to explain mitigating circumstances. More detail: traffic court records.
Why is my Honolulu County traffic ticket not in eTraffic?
The Judiciary says tickets may take 13 days or longer after the violation to enter the court system. eTraffic is also unavailable if more than 21 days have passed, a court appearance is mandatory, you already appeared and were ordered to pay, or the ticket is not payable online. Pay by mail using the pre-addressed envelope or in person at District Court if eTraffic is not available.
How do I search a Honolulu County traffic case if I can't pay online?
Use eCourt Kōkua. Search by Case ID or citation, party name, license plate, VIN, or hearing calendar. For payment after collection, the Judiciary directs users to Pioneer Credit Recovery and recommends looking up the eCourt Case ID first.
Criminal Records, Warrants, and Expungement
How do I find a Honolulu County arrest record?
HPD posts adult arrest logs daily at honolulupd.org. Logs include date, time, name, age, sex, race, arresting officer, nature of offense, and report number. Logs rotate off the public site after fourteen days; older logs require written request to HPD Records and Identification Division. For criminal case files, use eCourt Kōkua. More detail: criminal records.
How do I expunge a Hawaii arrest record tied to Honolulu County?
HRS § 831-3.2 governs eligible nonconviction arrest expungements. As of July 1, 2025, expungement and related court-record removal are handled through a streamlined one-step process by HCJDC. Call the Department of the Attorney General at (808) 587-3348. More detail: criminal records.
How do I know if there is a Honolulu County warrant?
Search eCourt Kōkua for case entries and call the relevant court branch. HPD has wanted-persons and arrest-log pages, but no complete official all-warrants public search exists for Honolulu County. Warrant status changes quickly and sealed or juvenile warrants may not be public. More detail: warrant records.
Can I use eCrim instead of court records?
No. eCrim is an HCJDC criminal conviction-information service with a $5 search fee and a $10 record fee. Court records are searched through eCourt Kōkua and court branches. eCrim does not replace case dockets, filings, or court documents.
Public Records and Confidentiality
Are juvenile records public?
Generally no. HPD policy bars public release of juvenile arrest information through adult arrest logs. eCourt Kōkua excludes juvenile cases. Family Court and HRS Chapter 571 impose extra confidentiality protections.
What information is redacted from Honolulu County court records?
HCRR Rule 9 protects Social Security numbers, birth dates in most contexts, the names of minor children, bank or investment account numbers, medical and health records, and social-service reports. Parties submit protected information on a Confidential Information Form rather than in accessible filings.
What does the PDF icon mean in eCourt Kōkua?
A PDF icon on a docket entry means an online document is available for purchase. No PDF icon means that specific document is not available online; it may still be available over the counter. Sealed and in-camera documents are masked and cannot be bought through the public eCourt workflow.
Can I view court documents for free at the courthouse?
Yes. The Judiciary states that most courthouses have public access terminals for viewing documents on screen at no charge. Buying a copy still costs the standard fee. If a PDF is unavailable through eCourt, staff may still help with over-the-counter access or a written request.
How long can I download a purchased eCourt document?
The eCourt manual says existing purchases are available for two days from the time of purchase. After that, the document must be purchased again. The receipt contains a Purchase ID, and retrieval requires the Purchase ID plus the email address used for the purchase.
Court Services and Help
How do I get a public defender in Honolulu County?
The State Office of the Public Defender represents qualified indigent people. Oʻahu office lines include District at (808) 586-2100, Family at (808) 586-2300, and Appeals at (808) 586-2080. If a person is in jail, the FAQ says a Deputy Public Defender will contact them for the application.
Who is the Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney?
The official Department of the Prosecuting Attorney homepage names Steven S. Alm. Victim/Witness Kokua Services sits at 1060 Richards Street, 9th Floor, Honolulu, HI 96813, phone (808) 768-7401.
Can I call a judge about my case?
No. The First Circuit judges page warns not to call a judge about a pending case. Judges generally cannot discuss pending cases unless all parties have notice and an opportunity to be present, and they are barred from publicly discussing pending or impending matters.
What if I need an interpreter or ADA accommodation?
The Judiciary has formal language access and ADA accommodation services. The First Circuit contact page states that Disability Accommodations Coordinators are assigned to courts and programs. Request help before the hearing when possible so the court can arrange interpreters or other supports.
Are Honolulu County court records the same as police reports?
No. Court records are filed in the Judiciary and searched through eCourt Kōkua or court branches. Police reports are HPD records requested from HPD Records Division. Arrest summaries and criminal history records may be handled by HCJDC. A single incident may create police, prosecution, court, jail, and criminal-history records in different systems. More detail: public records.