Kauai County Court Records

Court records in Kauai County are official records kept by the judiciary that detail court cases in the county. Subject to Hawaii state law, these records provide accountability and openness in the court system. They offer a vital resource for people and legal professionals to access case histories and rulings, encompassing filings from civil, criminal, family, and traffic matters.

These court documents often include written, auditory, visual, electronic, or other physical information, including party names, case summaries, motions for evidence, and final decisions. They could contain information regarding charges, arraignments, plea deals, and sentencing in criminal cases. Lawsuits, disagreements over contracts, property claims, and other legal issues may be recorded in civil court records. Records from family courts contain details on instances including adoption, divorce, custody, and domestic relations. (Rule 4, Hawai'i Court Records Rules)

These records are vital to judicial proceedings due to their frequent use in confirming case facts, bolstering appeals, and setting precedents. While guaranteeing that justice is administered openly and equitably, public access to court records, with some privacy safeguards, encourages transparency.

Are Court Records Public in Kauai County?

Following Chapter 92F of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, the Uniform Information Practices Act (UIPA), Kauai County court records are classified as public records. This suggests that the public may obtain these records from the judiciary via any courthouse and that they will receive the records upon request.

Nonetheless, some court records are not accessible to the public because of state restrictions or court orders or because they have been sealed or erased. The following records are prohibited from public disclosure, as specified by Sections 92F-13, 92F-19, and 92F-22 of the statutes:

• Information that would unjustly violate someone's privacy, including Social Security numbers, health or mental health records, and financial information.
• Details on active criminal cases.
• Documents related to individual assessments or advice.
• To the extent that they would not be discoverable, records relating to the prosecution or defense of any judicial or quasi-judicial proceeding in which the State or any county is or may be a party are exempt from disclosure.
• Records are prohibited from disclosure because they are, by definition, confidential and necessary to prevent the government from impeding the proper operation of its functions.
• Records that are excluded from disclosure because they are shielded from disclosure by local, state, or federal laws, including court orders.
• Legislative committee work products, preliminary and draft working papers, transcripts or records of investigative committees, and politicians' files are not subject to disclosure.

Kauai County Court Records Search

Here is a list of sources through which members of the public can perform court records searches in Kauai County:

• The courthouse where the case was filed and heard.
• The county court clerk's office.
• Through the use of online portals provided by the judiciary for public access.
• Third-party sites are found on the internet.

Kauai County Court Records Search by Name

In Kauai County, two methods are primarily available for searching court records using the name of the record subject: on-site and online.

To perform an on-site search, the requester must go to the county clerk's office or the courtroom where the matter was filed and heard. They can either utilize the public terminals the records office has made available or submit a written request to search there. The record holder's name must be known to complete a request form (if applicable), and to undertake this type of search; costs may be necessary, particularly if duplicate copies of any data are sought after.

The State of Hawaii Judiciary (Judiciary) makes case information available online as a public service. Access to public information from traffic cases, District / Circuit / Family (Adult) Court criminal, District / Circuit / Family Court civil, Land Court and Tax Appeal Court, and appellate cases of the State of Hawaii is made possible by the Judiciary Information Management System (JIMS) eCourt Kōkua. Interested parties may also use this portal to conduct an online name-based court records search. The user would have to enter the first and last name of the record subject to perform a name-based search. Additional information such as middle name, case type, and beginning and ending filing dates will help improve and streamline the search process. There is no cost associated with this search method.

Kauai County Courts

Family courts, land courts, tax appeal courts, circuit courts, and district courts make up Hawaii's trial court system. Circuit Courts and District Courts make up the two main divisions of Hawaii's trial court system. Circuit and district courts have family courts as subordinate courts. Although most civil and criminal cases fall under the general jurisdiction of circuit courts, they typically only take on cases that fall outside the purview of other courts. District courts can only hear specific kinds of criminal and civil cases. There are some case types over which the Land Court and the Tax Appeal Court have limited authority. A list of Kauai County court locations can be found below:

Kauai Fifth Circuit Court
Puuhonua Kaulike Building 3970 Kaana Street
Lihu`e, HI 96766
Phone: (808) 482-2300

Kauai Fifth Circuit District Court
Puuhonua Kaulike Building 3970 Kaana Street
Lihu`e, HI 96766
Phone: (808) 482-2645

Kauai Fifth Circuit Family Court
Puuhonua Kaulike Building 3970 Kaana Street
Lihu`e, HI 96766
Phone: (808) 482-2391

Kauai County Criminal Records

The Kauai Police Department (KPD) and the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center (HCJDC) are in charge of maintaining the criminal records that are handled by law enforcement agencies in Kauai County, including arrest records, police reports, and criminal background checks. Typically, these records contain information about charges, convictions, and arrests. In compliance with the Uniform Information Practices Act (UIPA) of the Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS) chapter 92F, people may need to make a formal request to the Kauai Police Department for more particular documents, such as arrest reports or police records. Access to certain data may be restricted based on their nature to safeguard privacy and adhere to Hawaii's state regulations regarding the publication of criminal records, particularly in situations involving juveniles or ongoing investigations.

For the State of Hawaii, criminal history record checks—also known as "Police Clearances" or "Police Abstracts"—are provided by the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center (HRS §846-2.5). This agency's records access policies are outlined in HRS §§ 846-2.7, 846-9, and 846-10. These records are restricted to the record subjects and other approved parties.

People can get criminal records by requesting a name- or fingerprint-based Criminal History Record Check via the HCJDC's "eCrim" online system, by mail, by going to the approved public locations, or in person at the agency's office, which is located at:

Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center
Attn: CHRC Unit
465 S. King Street, Rm 102
Honolulu, HI 96813

Users can perform name-based searches on the eCrim system for $5, and $10 for certified records. Requesters would have to pay $25 for each printout or search of records acquired at the public access facility. A service charge of $30 would be necessary for postal or in-office name-based searches, and certified copies would incur additional fees. Additionally, the organization provides fingerprint-based searches for mail-order and in-office choices at $55 and $35 per service, respectively. Please be aware that certified copies may incur additional fees. Before requesting records, each applicant must complete all required paperwork.

How to Get Kauai County Civil Court Records

The Circuit Court in Kauai County is primarily responsible for handling civil cases; the District Court occasionally has concurrent jurisdiction with them. Circuit Courts and District Courts have concurrent jurisdiction in civil non-jury proceedings involving sums in disagreement between $10,000 and $40,000. This suggests that, depending on which records are being investigated, anyone interested in looking up civil court records should contact the circuit or district court. The requester can seek these records online via the eCourt court case information portal, or they can visit the courtroom to make a personal request.

Kauai County Marriage Records

Official records attesting to the lawful union of two people in Kauai County are called Kauai marriage records. The Hawaii Department of Health keeps these documents, which are used for both personal and legal purposes. They include information about the couple's names, the wedding's date and place, and the officiant's name.

Any individual wishing to legally wed in the State of Hawaii legally must get a license from an authorized agency (Hawaii Revised Statutes, Section 572-1.7). Following that, a marriage certificate is given out. A marriage certificate is a separate document from a marriage license. The marriage license authorizes a marriage, while the certificate verifies that a valid marriage has been completed.

Interested individuals can order marriage certificates online or through mail from the Department of Health. To obtain a marriage certificate, applicants must fill out a request form and pay a fee of $10.00 for the first copy, $4.00 for each additional copy, and $2.50 for general administration of up to five copies. The address for mail requests is:

State Department of Health
Office of Health Status Monitoring
Issuance/Vital Statistics Section
P.O. Box 3378
Honolulu, HI 96801

Kauai County Divorce Records

Legal records attesting to the dissolution of a marriage in Kauai County are called Kauai divorce records. These documents, which are kept on file by the Kauai Circuit Court, serve as evidence of the parties' legal separation. They contain information such as the parties' names, the date of the divorce, and court orders about support, property, and custody. The circuit court where the divorce hearing was held offers divorce decrees, and anyone interested can get documents by contacting the court.

Meanwhile, Divorce records from January 1951 to December 2002 are also maintained by the Hawaii Department of Health (DOH). Those who are interested can apply by mail for divorce certificates from them at:

State Department of Health
Office of Health Status Monitoring
Issuance/Vital Statistics Section
P.O. Box 3378
Honolulu, HI 96801

Or in person at:

Room 103,
1250 Punchbowl Street,
Honolulu.
7:45 AM to 2:30 PM, Monday, Wednesday, Friday (Except Holidays)

Applicants would be required to fill out the request form and also pay the sum of $10.00 to obtain a divorce certificate from the DOH.

Kauai County Birth and Death Records

Birth and death records in Kauai County are official vital records that document significant life events. Birth records contain information about the newborn's name, date and place of birth, parents' details, and other relevant details for legal proof of identity, inheritance claims, and family history, while death records include the deceased's name, date and cause of death, and other relevant details.

The Hawaii Department of Health (DOH) is in charge of keeping these records. The DOH is the place where people can submit requests to get certified copies of birth or death records. Requesters can use the online or mail-in options for birth certificates and the online, mail-in, and in-person options for death records. Requesters would have to complete the forms for requesting birth and death certificates and pay $10.00 for the first copy. Additional copies would cost an extra $4.00, and $2.50 would be paid as administrative costs for up to five copies. All mail-in and in-person copies are to be sent or brought to the same addresses mentioned in the previous section.

Kauai County Probate Records

Kauai County probate court documents detail the legal procedure for administering a deceased person's estate. These records contain information about guardianships, conservatorships, wills, trusts, and estate management. Probate court matters include allocating assets, approving guardians or executors, settling inheritance disputes, and validating wills. These documents are necessary to ensure that the deceased's assets are properly transferred to their heirs and to satisfy their legal obligations.

Interested parties can visit the circuit court office, mail-in requests, or call the probate division at (808) 482-2343. The Kauai Fifth Circuit court is responsible for keeping probate records. Partially available probate records can also be found on the eCourt Kokua online records system; certified copies are not accessible via this method.

Kauai County Property Records

Property records in Kauai County are legal papers that offer facts regarding land ownership, property transfers, borders, tax assessments, and changes done to a property. These documents are essential for establishing legal rights to land, settling disputes, confirming ownership, and computing property taxes. Property documents usually comprise deeds, titles, mortgages, liens, and plats.

Property records in Kauai County are kept up to date by the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources' Bureau of Conveyances for state records and the Kauai County Real Property Assessment Division for local records. A property record search can be done in person, by mail, or online by interested parties. The addresses of both agencies are as follows:

Real Property Assessment Division
4444 Rice Street, Suite A-454
Lihue, Hawai'i 96766
Phone: (808) 241-4224

Bureau of Conveyances
Kalanimoku Building
1151 Punchbowl St. #120
Honolulu, HI 96813
Ph: (808) 587-0147
Fax: (808) 587-0136
Email: dlnr.bc.faq@hawaii.gov

Kauai County Court Records Online

Third-party web services can be used to find Kauai County court records without going to the courthouse. These platforms frequently provide easy-to-use search capabilities for various case types, such as criminal, civil, and probate data.

Independent businesses run websites that aggregate public records from several sources (such as courthouses) and provide them to the general public. An example of this website is Hawaiicourtrecords.us. Nevertheless, there are various restrictions, such as outdated or missing information, restricted access to some private or sealed data, and potential access costs.