Find Kalawao County Court Docket Records
Kalawao County has no local courthouse. All court docket records for Kalawao are processed through the Second Circuit Court in Wailuku, Maui County. To search for Kalawao-area court cases, use the eCourt Kokua portal with the Second Circuit filter selected, or contact the Second Circuit Legal Documents Branch at Hoapili Hale in Wailuku to request copies of specific filings.
Kalawao County Overview
Kalawao County and the Second Circuit Court
Kalawao is the smallest county in the United States by land area and by population. Fewer than 100 people live there, primarily residents of the Kalaupapa settlement and state and federal employees who work on the peninsula. The county is coterminous with Kalaupapa National Historical Park on the north shore of Molokai island. Because the population is so small, Kalawao has no courts of its own, no elected county government in the traditional sense, and no local courthouse.
For judicial purposes, Kalawao is part of the Second Circuit. This means that any court matter arising from the Kalawao area is filed and processed at the Second Circuit Court in Wailuku, Maui. If someone in the Kalaupapa settlement needed to file a civil case, initiate a probate proceeding, or face a criminal charge, the paperwork would go to Wailuku. Court staff at Hoapili Hale handle those records as part of the broader Second Circuit caseload. The physical address for all Second Circuit records requests is 2145 Main Street, Wailuku, HI 96793, and the main phone number is (808) 244-2929.
In practice, Kalawao sees almost no court activity. A notable fact about the county is that it recorded zero criminal cases in 2019, making it the only county in Hawaii with no felony or misdemeanor filings that year. This is a reflection of the unique nature of the settlement and its small, stable population. The absence of criminal case filings does not mean court records cannot exist for Kalawao, but it does mean that the docket for this county is effectively empty in most years.
| Office | Second Circuit Court (Hoapili Hale) |
|---|---|
| Address | 2145 Main Street, Wailuku, HI 96793 |
| Phone | (808) 244-2929 |
| Hours | Monday-Friday, 7:45 AM - 4:30 PM |
| Note | Handles all Kalawao County court matters |
Note: Kalawao has no local courthouse; all judicial matters for the county are handled by the Second Circuit Court in Wailuku, Maui.
What the Second Circuit Court Handles for Kalawao
The Second Circuit Court holds full jurisdiction over all case types that could arise in Kalawao County. This includes felony criminal matters, civil cases over $40,000, probate, guardianship, conservatorship, estate administration, Land Court filings, and Tax Appeal Court proceedings. Any of these case types that might originate from the Kalaupapa peninsula would be filed at the Wailuku courthouse and would appear in the Second Circuit docket.
For lower-level matters, the Second District Court at Hoapili Hale would also have jurisdiction. This includes misdemeanor charges, traffic matters, small claims under $5,000, civil disputes under $40,000, and landlord-tenant cases. The district court is housed in the same building as the circuit court in Wailuku. Whether a matter is circuit-level or district-level, the physical location for filing and records access is the same: Hoapili Hale at 2145 Main Street.
Probate and estate matters tied to Kalawao residents would also go through the Second Circuit Probate Division in Wailuku. If someone with ties to the Kalaupapa settlement passed away and left an estate to administer, the probate filing would be initiated in Wailuku. Family court matters, including protective orders, custody, and juvenile cases, follow the same path. All of these create court docket entries that can be searched and retrieved through the Second Circuit's records system.
Note: Both circuit-level and district-level cases for Kalawao County are processed through the single Hoapili Hale courthouse in Wailuku.
How to Search the Kalawao County Court Docket Online
The Hawaii State Judiciary's eCourt Kokua portal is the correct tool for searching any Kalawao-area court cases online. The portal covers all circuits in the state and is free to use. Because Kalawao is part of the Second Circuit, select Second Circuit as the jurisdiction filter when you search. Then enter a party name or case number to look up any filings. Results will show docket entries, case status, and hearing information.
[Lead-in: The eCourt Kokua public search portal covers all Hawaii state courts, including Second Circuit cases that apply to Kalawao County.]
Searching the Second Circuit through eCourt Kokua covers all Kalawao County matters, since the two share the same judicial jurisdiction.
If you find a case through eCourt Kokua and need copies of the actual documents, contact the Second Circuit Legal Documents Branch at Hoapili Hale. Phone: (808) 244-2929. Have the case number ready when you call, as this helps staff locate the file. You can also submit a written request by mail to the Wailuku courthouse. Use form 1CP858 for written copy requests. Standard copies cost $1.00 per page; certified copies cost more. In-person requests at the clerk's window are typically fulfilled during the same visit when staff capacity permits.
For a broader overview of how Hawaii court records access works, the Hawaii State Judiciary records access page explains the full process, including what types of records are public, what requires a formal request, and what types of cases carry access restrictions.
Court Records Rules and UIPA for Kalawao County
Even though Kalawao has no local courts, all the same rules that govern court records statewide apply to any records generated by Second Circuit proceedings tied to the county. The Hawaii Court Records Rules set out which case records are public and which are restricted, and these rules apply to Second Circuit records whether they originate in Wailuku, Hana, Molokai, Lanai, or Kalaupapa. The rules were adopted by the Hawaii Supreme Court and carry full legal authority across the state.
The Uniform Information Practices Act (UIPA) governs records held by government agencies outside the judicial branch. For Kalawao County, which has no traditional county government structure, the UIPA would apply to records held by state agencies operating in the area, such as the Hawaii Department of Health, which historically has had a role in administering the Kalaupapa settlement. The UIPA creates a presumption of openness, requiring agencies to make records available unless a specific statutory exemption applies.
Access to court records through the Second Circuit follows the same rules as for any other county in the Second Circuit's jurisdiction. Public records can be inspected for free at the courthouse. Copies cost $1.00 per page. Juvenile records, adoption files, sealed civil cases, and certain family court records involving minors are not available to the public, even for Second Circuit cases. If you are looking for a particular type of record and are not sure whether it is accessible, calling the clerk's office at (808) 244-2929 before making the trip to Wailuku is a practical first step.
Records requests submitted under the UIPA to non-judicial agencies must follow the formal request process outlined in the act. The Office of Information Practices can assist if a request is denied. For court records specifically, the Court Records Rules provide the framework, and the clerk's office at Hoapili Hale is the starting point for any records request related to the Second Circuit.
About Kalaupapa and Kalawao County
Kalawao County occupies the Kalaupapa peninsula on the north coast of Molokai. It is set off from the rest of the island by steep sea cliffs on three sides and a rocky shoreline on the fourth. The peninsula was used as a leprosy settlement beginning in the 1860s, when Hawaiian law required people diagnosed with Hansen's disease to be isolated there. The settlement remained active for over a century and eventually became a National Historical Park.
Today, Kalaupapa is home to a small number of former patients who chose to remain, along with state and federal park staff. Access to the peninsula is strictly controlled by the Hawaii Department of Health and the National Park Service. Visitors must get permission before entering the area. This controlled environment, combined with the tiny permanent population, explains why court activity is essentially absent from the county's record. There is no courthouse, no police station, and no county government offices in the traditional sense. All public services that require institutional support come from the state level or from Maui County.
Despite its unusual status, Kalawao County remains a legally recognized county under Hawaii law. It has a county seat, Kalaupapa, though the designation is largely symbolic given the absence of typical county government functions. For anyone researching records tied to Kalawao, the practical path is always through the Second Circuit in Wailuku. The few records that exist are held there, and the eCourt Kokua system reflects Second Circuit filings in its search results.
Note: Access to the Kalaupapa peninsula requires prior approval from the Hawaii Department of Health and the National Park Service.
Cities in Kalawao County
Kalaupapa is the county seat of Kalawao County. Due to its extremely small population, Kalawao County has no cities that meet the threshold for a dedicated records page on this site.
Other Hawaii Counties
For court docket records in other parts of Hawaii, each county has its own circuit and district court system. Use the links below to find courthouse contacts and records access details.