Hawaii
Hawaii Court Records: How to Search eCourt Kokua and How Sealing Works
Independently fact-checked against primary sources (last audited August 10, 2026). · 3 primary sources cited on this page. How we verify our legal content
Hawaii is one of the more straightforward states for finding a court record. A single statewide tool, eCourt Kokua, covers traffic, District, Circuit, and Family Court cases, both criminal and civil, plus Land Court, Tax Appeal Court, and appellate cases, all from one search.
Information last verified on 2026-08-10. This article has not yet been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.
This guide is part of a broader look at court records by state; for the mechanics of federal versus state versus county searches generally, see how to look up court records and are court records public.
eCourt Kokua: Hawaii's Statewide Case Search
eCourt Kokua, run by the Hawaii State Judiciary, is a unified statewide search rather than a county-by-county system. It covers traffic cases, District Court criminal and civil cases, Circuit Court criminal and civil cases, Family Court cases, Land Court, Tax Appeal Court, and appellate cases, all searchable from the same tool. Basic search requires no registration and is free.
The Judiciary is direct about the limits of what the site provides. Its own disclaimer states that case information "is made available 'as is,' as a public service with no warranties, express or implied, including any implied warranties of merchantability, accuracy, non-infringement or fitness for a particular purpose," and separately notes that the database "does not comprise all information from court records available to the public." Data is generally current to within 48 hours of a filing or hearing, so a very recent event may not appear yet.
When a document is available as a PDF, the site indicates it with a PDF icon next to the docket entry; these are typically available for purchase within three business days of filing, not instantly. Certified copies work differently: they are paper only and must be requested in person at the courthouse where the case is held. eCourt Kokua itself does not issue certified copies.
What's Public and What's Restricted
Hawaii's public-records law generally treats judicial branch records as outside its scope, since court records are governed by judiciary rules rather than the state's public-records statute, similar to most states. Beyond the general eCourt Kokua disclaimer, the Judiciary's site does not publish a single consolidated list of every category excluded from public access online. In practice, categories such as juvenile, certain family law matters, and sealed cases will not display through eCourt Kokua. If a case does not appear in the search, that does not necessarily mean no case exists; it may be restricted from the online index, and a courthouse inquiry is the way to confirm.
Sealing a Hawaii Court Record
Hawaii clears an arrest record and the matching court record through two different offices. The first step is an expungement of non-conviction arrest records handled by the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center (HCJDC), part of the Department of the Attorney General, under Hawaii Revised Statutes section 831-3.2. That is an action against the state's criminal history database, not the court case file itself. The second is removal of the court record by the Judiciary.
Since July 1, 2025, the Judiciary describes expunging a non-conviction arrest record and removing the related court records as "a streamlined, one step process" handled by the Department of the Attorney General through HCJDC. Under HRS section 831-3.2(f), every expungement order carrying a court case number is transmitted to the Judiciary, and the court "shall seal or otherwise remove from the judiciary's publicly accessible electronic databases all judiciary files and other information pertaining to the applicable arrest or case." That is a statutory duty, not a discretionary review the applicant has to win, though the statute allows the court time: it must make "good faith diligent efforts" to complete the removal "within a reasonable time."
Two exceptions written into the same subsection matter, because they cover ordinary situations. The court's removal duty "shall not apply" where the person "was charged with multiple offenses at least one of which is not the subject of the order," or where the person "is only one of multiple defendants in the case at least one of whom has not been the subject of a prior expungement order." So in a multi-count case where only one count was expunged, or a case with co-defendants who have no expungement order of their own, the court file can stay visible on eCourt Kokua even though the arrest record was expunged.
Expungement certificates issued before July 1, 2025 also sit outside the streamlined route. The Judiciary's site says those individuals still need to submit a written request to the court to have their record sealed or removed. Hawaii has no automatic, broad conviction-sealing law of the kind adopted by some other states. For eligibility and the filing process, see Hawaii expungement laws, which this page does not duplicate.
Certified Copies and Courthouse Access
Because eCourt Kokua does not issue certified documents, anyone who needs a certified copy of a filing, judgment, or order must go to the courthouse where the case is held and request it in person.
Using Hawaii Court Records the Right Way
eCourt Kokua is well suited to checking your own case, confirming a hearing date, or general research, but it is not a background-check tool. Under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, a criminal conviction is exempt from the seven-year reporting window that limits how long arrests and most civil judgments can appear on a consumer report, meaning a conviction can be reported indefinitely; only a Hawaii sealing or expungement action removes it from a compliant background report. The FTC's 2023 settlement with TruthFinder and Instant Checkmate, over marketing public-records reports for tenant and employee screening without following federal background-check law, is a reminder that court records searches carry real legal exposure when used to screen someone for housing or a job outside an FCRA-compliant process.
Disclaimer
This article explains how Hawaii court records are organized and searched. It is general legal information, not legal advice, and it is not a substitute for a licensed legal or background-screening professional. Portal features and fees change without notice; verify current details directly with the Hawaii State Judiciary. Consult a Hawaii-licensed attorney for advice about a specific case.
Last updated: 2026-08-10. Portal facts and fees reflect their published status as of August 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a free way to search Hawaii court records online?
Yes. eCourt Kokua provides free basic case search with no registration required, covering District, Circuit, and Family Court cases, Land Court, Tax Appeal Court, and appellate cases statewide.
How accurate is eCourt Kokua?
The Judiciary's own disclaimer says the site is provided as is with no warranty of accuracy and does not comprise all information from court records available to the public. Data is generally current within 48 hours of a filing or hearing.
Can I get a certified copy of a Hawaii court document online?
No. Certified copies are paper only and must be requested in person at the courthouse where the case is held.
What is the difference between HCJDC expungement and court sealing in Hawaii?
HCJDC expungement removes non-conviction arrest records from the state's criminal history database under HRS section 831-3.2. The court case file is handled by the Judiciary. Since July 1, 2025, an expungement order carrying a court case number is transmitted to the courts, and the court is required by statute to seal or remove the related files from its publicly accessible databases, making good faith diligent efforts within a reasonable time. It is a duty rather than a request the applicant has to argue for.
Does the court always remove the case file after a Hawaii expungement order?
No. HRS section 831-3.2(f) says the court's removal duty does not apply where the person was charged with multiple offenses and at least one is not covered by the order, or where the person is one of multiple defendants and at least one of the others has not had a prior expungement order. Certificates issued before July 1, 2025 also fall outside the streamlined route and still need a written request to the court.
Can I use eCourt Kokua for a background check on a tenant or employee?
Not on its own. A do-it-yourself search is not built for that purpose, and convictions do not age off a report under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Screening for employment or housing should go through an FCRA-compliant consumer reporting agency.
Updates
Corrected the Hawaii sealing section: after an expungement order reaches the court, HRS 831-3.2(f) requires the court to seal or remove the related case files rather than merely consider doing so, and the page now explains the statutory exceptions for multi-count and co-defendant cases.
Independently fact-checked against the cited primary sources
The Law Behind This Article
This article rests on the statutory provisions below, held in our own legal record and retrieved from the official source. Tap a section to read the operative text.
Hawaii Revised Statutes, Chapter 831: UNIFORM ACT ON STATUS OF CONVICTED PERSONS
§ 831-3.2Expungement ordersIn forcecited in 4 of our articles
(a) The attorney general, or the attorney general's duly authorized representative within the department of the attorney general, upon written application from a person arrested for, or charged with but not convicted of a crime, or found eligible for redress under chapter 661B, shall issue an expungement order annulling, canceling, and rescinding the record of arrest; provided that an expungement order shall not be issued: (1) In the case of an arrest for a felony or misdemeanor where conviction has not been obtained because of bail forfeiture; (2) For a period of five years after arrest or citation in the case of a petty misdemeanor or violation where conviction has not been obtained because of a bail forfeiture; (3) In the case of an arrest of any person for any offense where conviction has not been obtained because the person has rendered prosecution impossible by absenting oneself from the jurisdiction; (4) In the case of a person who was involuntarily hospitalized pursuant to section 706-607, or who was acquitted or had charges dismissed pursuant to chapter 704 due to a physical or mental disease, disorder, or defect; and (5) For a period of one year upon discharge of…
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-01 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at capitol.hawaii.gov
Cited in 7 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2025
In the courts (editorial summary, independently checked):Barker v. Young (2023) held that under HRS 831-3.2(a) a person arrested for a crime but convicted only of a violation is eligible for arrest record expungement, because a violation is not a crime. State v. Sarmiento (2024) applied the section to hold that this power rests with the attorney general, not the circuit court.
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Barker v. Young. (Hawaii Supreme Court 2023, 153 Haw. 144)✓Barker was arrested for harassment, a petty misdemeanor, but convicted only of disorderly conduct as a violation; the court held he remained eligible for arrest record expungement under HRS 831-3.2(a) because a violation is not a crime.
- State v. Rogan. S.Ct. Opinion, filed 06/05/2018 [ada], 142 Haw. 412. Petition for Writs of Prohibition and Mandamus, filed 12/29/2017. (Hawaii Supreme Court 2025)“…ised Statutes (HRS) § 831-3.2(f) (2014 & Supp. 2024). HRS § 831-3.2(f) recognizes privacy and restorative…”
- State v. Sarmiento (Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals 2024, 155 Haw. 224)✓After his convictions were vacated and the case dismissed, Sarmiento asked the circuit court to expunge his arrest record; the court held HRS 831-3.2 vests that power in the attorney general and gives a circuit court no authority to order expungement.
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: Hawaii Background Check Laws (2026 Guide), Hawaii OVUII Laws: Penalties, BAC Limit & License (2026), Hawaii Expungement Laws: Haw. Rev. Stat. § 831-3.2 and the HCJDC Process
United States Code Title 15
§ 1681cRequirements relating to information contained in consumer reportsIn forcecited in 61 of our articles
Except as authorized under subsection (b), no consumer reporting agency may make any consumer report containing any of the following items of information: Cases under title 11 or under the Bankruptcy Act that, from the date of entry of the order for relief or the date of adjudication, as the case may be, antedate the report by more than 10 years. Civil suits, civil judgments, and records of arrest that, from date of entry, antedate the report by more than seven years or until the governing statute of limitations has expired, whichever is the longer period. Paid tax liens which, from date of payment, antedate the report by more than seven years. Accounts placed for collection or charged to profit and loss which antedate the report by more than seven years. Any other adverse item of information, other than records of convictions of crimes which antedates the report by more than seven years.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-16 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at uscode.house.gov
Cited in 383 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2026
In the courts (editorial summary, independently checked):Katz v. Donna Karan Co. (2017) addressed the FACTA truncation rule in 1681c(g) and affirmed dismissal for lack of Article III standing, treating material risk of harm as a fact question. Edward Seamans v. Temple University (2014) held the seven-year window in 1681c(a)(4) is extended for an education loan only until that loan is repaid.
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Katz v. Donna Karan Co. (Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit 2017, 872 F.3d 114)✓A shopper sued two stores whose receipts printed the first six digits of his credit card number; the Second Circuit affirmed dismissal for lack of standing, seeing no clear error in the finding that those digits show only the card issuer, not a material risk of identity theft.
- Edward Seamans v. Temple University (Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit 2014, 744 F.3d 853)✓A defaulted university loan kept appearing on a borrower's credit reports after he repaid it because the school never reported the delinquency date; the Third Circuit held the Higher Education Act suspends section 1681c(a)(4)'s aging-off rule only until repayment.
- Gonzales v. Arrow Financial Services, LLC (Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit 2011, 660 F.3d 1055)✓A debt buyer offered to settle health club debts over seven years old, saying that if it was reporting the account the bureaus would be told it was settled; the Ninth Circuit, treating those debts as unreportable under section 1681c(a)(4), called that implication misleading.
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: How Long Does a Felony Stay on Your Record? (2026), Background Check Laws by State (2026 Guide), Alabama Background Check Laws (2026 Guide)
Sources and References
- Hawaii State Judiciary, Search Court Records (eCourt Kokua)(courts.state.hi.us).gov
- Hawaii State Judiciary, Requests for Sealing Court Records(courts.state.hi.us).gov
- Cornell Legal Information Institute, 15 U.S.C. 1681c, Requirements relating to information contained in consumer reports(law.cornell.edu)
- Federal Trade Commission, FTC Says TruthFinder and Instant Checkmate Deceived Users About Background Report Accuracy, Violated FCRA(ftc.gov).gov
- Hawaii Revised Statutes section 831-3.2, Expungement orders (subsection (f), as amended by Act 3, SLH 2025)(capitol.hawaii.gov)
- Hawaii State Judiciary, Expungement of Records (streamlined one step process as of July 1, 2025)(courts.state.hi.us)