Wailuku Court Records

Wailuku is the county seat of Maui County and home to Hoapili Hale, the Second Circuit courthouse that serves all of Maui, Molokai, and Lanai. Court records for Wailuku cases are maintained right in town, giving residents direct access to the Legal Documents Branch without having to travel elsewhere. You can search case information online through eCourt Kokua at no cost, walk in to the courthouse during business hours, or submit a written request. This page covers where to go in Wailuku to access court records, which courts operate at Hoapili Hale, and how the records request process works.

Wailuku's Courthouse: Hoapili Hale

Hoapili Hale is the main courthouse for the Second Judicial Circuit and it sits in Wailuku itself. The address is 2145 Main Street, Wailuku, Maui, HI 96793. For Wailuku residents, this is one of the few places in Hawaii where the circuit courthouse is in the same town. You do not need to travel to another city to access the full range of court record services.

The building houses three distinct court operations. The Second Circuit Court has general jurisdiction over felony criminal matters and civil disputes above $40,000, including probate, guardianship, Land Court, and Tax Appeal Court cases. The District Court operates on the third floor in courtrooms 3C and 3D, handling traffic violations, misdemeanor criminal cases, civil claims under $40,000, small claims under $5,000, and landlord-tenant disputes. Civil matters in District Court are generally heard on Mondays; criminal matters run Tuesday through Friday. The Family Court covers the third and fourth floors, handling divorce, custody, child support, adoption, domestic violence restraining orders, juvenile cases, and paternity matters.

Main phone: 808-244-2929. District Court: 808-244-2800. Family Court: 808-244-2700. Legal Documents Branch (Room 106): 808-244-2752. General court hours: Monday through Friday, 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Legal Documents Branch: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Second Circuit Court contact page provides complete contact details for Hoapili Hale including direct numbers for each court division and the Legal Documents Branch serving Wailuku and all of Maui County.

Hoapili Hale serves as the central records repository for court cases across Maui, Molokai, and Lanai, making Wailuku the hub for all Second Circuit court records access.

Search Wailuku Court Records Online

eCourt Kokua is the official online portal for searching Wailuku court records. Visit the eCourt Kokua portal to search by party name, case number, or citation. Basic case information is free: party names, case type, filing date, case status, hearing dates, and docket entries all appear at no cost. No account is needed for a basic search.

Documents with a PDF icon next to the docket entry are available for purchase. Each document costs $3 for 1 to 30 pages. Pages over 30 cost $0.10 each. Certified copies cost $5. Pay by credit card. Most documents download immediately. Some take up to three business days to become available after filing.

For Family Court civil cases from 1983 to the present, use the Hoohiki portal. Hoohiki shows case summaries and document lists for divorce, custody, and related family matters but does not let you view or download the actual documents. To get document copies, contact the Family Court Legal Documents Branch at Hoapili Hale after finding your case in Hoohiki.

In-Person Records Access at Hoapili Hale

Walk in to the Records Division at Hoapili Hale during business hours. The Legal Documents Branch (Room 106) handles requests from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Bring a valid photo ID and as much case detail as you can: party names, case number, filing date, and case type all speed up retrieval. Staff pull active case files while you wait, typically within 15 to 30 minutes for standard requests.

Free public access terminals are available at the courthouse. These terminals connect to the same case database as eCourt Kokua and let you search records at no cost. If you want printed copies, fees apply: $1 for the first page and $0.50 for each additional page. Adding a court certification costs $2 per document. If you do not know the case number, a $5 name search fee may apply.

Wailuku Court Records by Mail or Fax

Submit written requests to the Second Circuit Court, Records Division, Room 106, Hoapili Hale, 2145 Main Street, Wailuku, HI 96793. Fax requests go to 808-244-2932. Your request should include your full name and contact info, the case number or party names, the type of case, a description of specific documents, how many copies you need, and whether certified copies are required.

Do not send payment with the request. An invoice comes first. Prepay using a money order, cashier's check, or certified check. Personal checks are not accepted. Written requests take at least 10 business days. Mailed requests typically take 15 to 20 business days from the date of receipt. Records involving archived files or older cases may require additional time and fees. Download the request form (1C-P-858) from the Hawaii State Judiciary Forms Repository.

The Hawaii State Judiciary Forms Repository has all forms needed for Wailuku court records requests, including Form 1C-P-858 for Circuit and Family Court requests and Form 1C-P-827 for written purchase requests, available in fillable PDF format.

The Records Division at Hoapili Hale handles all Wailuku area record requests and maintains the central files for civil, criminal, family, probate, and traffic cases across the Second Circuit.

Self-Help and Legal Resources in Wailuku

Wailuku residents have the self-help center right at Hoapili Hale. It operates on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Phone assistance is available on select Mondays and Thursdays at 808-909-2841. The center provides procedural information, form guidance, and referrals to legal resources. Staff cannot give legal advice.

The Second Circuit Court Law Library sits in Room 207 at Hoapili Hale. Phone: 808-244-2959. Hours are Monday through Friday, 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It holds Hawaii statutes, case law, federal law resources, and self-help legal materials. Library staff can help you find resources but cannot advise you on your specific case.

The Children's Justice Center serves Maui County at 1773-A Wili Pa Loop, Wailuku, HI 96793, phone 808-244-7926. This resource assists with matters involving children in court proceedings.

Public Records Law and Wailuku Court Records

Court records in Maui County are presumptively public under Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 92F, the Uniform Information Practices Act (UIPA). Under HRS § 92F-11, any member of the public can request court records without stating a reason. Agencies must respond within 10 business days.

Certain records are confidential by law. Juvenile cases, adoption proceedings, some domestic violence matters, and records sealed by court order are not accessible to the public. These do not appear in eCourt Kokua or Hoohiki searches. If a request is denied, you can appeal to the Office of Information Practices at 250 South Hotel Street, Suite 107, Honolulu, HI 96813, phone (808) 586-1400.

Historical court records for Wailuku cases predating current electronic systems may be held at the Hawaii State Archives in Honolulu. Contact the Archives at (808) 586-0329 for research assistance with older records not available through eCourt Kokua.

Nearby Maui Cities

For full details on the Second Circuit courthouse, satellite district courts on Molokai and Lanai, and records access across all of Maui County, see Maui County Court Records.