Hilo Divorce Decree Records

Hilo is the county seat of Hawaii County and the home of the Third Circuit Family Court, which handles all divorce decree filings on the Big Island's Hilo Division. Unlike many Hawaii cities where the courthouse is somewhere else, Hilo residents have the Family Court right in town at Hale Kaulike on Kilauea Avenue. You can file, attend hearings, pick up copies, and get walk-in self-help all in the same building. This page covers how to search divorce decree records online, how to request copies, what the self-help center offers, and where to find historical Big Island divorce records going back to the 1800s.

Third Circuit Family Court in Hilo

The Third Circuit Family Court, Hilo Division, sits at Hale Kaulike, 777 Kilauea Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720. The main phone number is (808) 961-7400. The court is open Monday through Friday from 7:45 AM to 4:30 PM, except on state holidays. This is where Hilo residents file divorce petitions, attend hearings, and get their final divorce decrees. The same building houses the Legal Documents Branch, where you can pick up copies of filed documents including completed divorce decrees.

The Legal Documents Branch at Halo Kaulike is the specific office to visit when you need a copy of a Hilo divorce decree. The address is the same: Hale Kaulike, 777 Kilauea Avenue, Hilo, Hawaii 96720-4212. Bring a valid photo ID and the case number if you have it. If you do not have the case number, staff can look up the case by name. Plain and certified copies are both available at the counter. The branch handles counter requests and processes mail-in orders as well.

For digital submissions related to the Hilo court, the JEFS contact information is CFC.3CC@courts.hawaii.gov. The JEFS line is (808) 961-7400 or (808) 961-7500. JEFS is the Hawaii courts' electronic filing system and is used mostly by attorneys and parties with active cases. For basic record requests, the Legal Documents counter or a written mail request are the simpler paths for most Hilo residents.

The Third Circuit Family Court at Hale Kaulike is where all Hilo divorce decree cases are filed and maintained. eCourt Kokua provides online access to case summaries for records in this court.

Hilo Self-Help Center at Hale Kaulike

The Hawaii courts run a self-help center on the first floor of Hale Kaulike at 777 Kilauea Avenue, Hilo. The center is open on Tuesdays and Fridays from 11:15 AM to 12:45 PM. It is walk-in only. No appointment is required. The phone number is (808) 961-0609. Self-help staff can point you to the right forms, explain how the filing process works, and help you understand what the court needs at each step. They do not give legal advice, but they can make the process much less confusing for someone going through it without a lawyer.

Having the self-help center right inside Hale Kaulike is a practical advantage for Hilo residents. You can check case status at the clerk's counter, ask the self-help center a question about your forms, and pick up a copy of a document all in the same visit. The compact layout of the building makes this easier than in cities where these resources are spread across different locations.

Parents with children in a Hilo divorce case should contact Kids First at (808) 896-6465. Kids First runs programs the Family Court may require parents to complete before a judge will finalize a divorce involving minor children. The court uses this requirement to make sure parents are prepared to handle custody and co-parenting after the case closes. Ask the clerk at Hale Kaulike whether Kids First is required in your case when you file.

Searching Hilo Divorce Decree Records Online

eCourt Kokua is the Hawaii State Judiciary's free public case search tool. Hilo residents can use it to look up Third Circuit divorce cases without coming to the courthouse. The portal is at courts.state.hi.us. No account or login is needed to search.

To search for a Hilo divorce decree, open eCourt Kokua and select "Hawaii - Third Circuit Family Court" from the court dropdown. Then enter one party's name. The case type is "DV - Divorce." Search results show the case number, the names of both parties, the filing date, and the current case status. You can also see docket entries and scheduled hearing dates. Full documents, including the final decree, are not available online. To get the actual document, contact the Legal Documents Branch at Hale Kaulike or send a mail request.

Third Circuit divorce decree records are generally public under HRS § 92F. A judge can seal part of a file if there is a specific reason, but most divorce decrees from Hilo cases are accessible to any member of the public who requests them properly. HRS § 580-41 sets out the rules for how divorce records are kept and accessed under Hawaii law.

Requesting Copies of a Hilo Divorce Decree

Once you have a case number from eCourt Kokua, getting a copy at Hale Kaulike is straightforward. Visit the Legal Documents Branch during courthouse hours, show a photo ID, and give the clerk the case number. If you do not have the case number, the clerk can search by name. Copy fees are standard: plain copies cost $3.00 per document or $0.10 per page, whichever is greater. Certified copies carry an additional $2.00 charge. Certified copies are what you need for legal proceedings, name changes, property transfers, or submissions to other government agencies.

If you cannot visit in person, mail requests are accepted. Address your request to: Hale Kaulike, Legal Documents Branch, 777 Kilauea Avenue, Hilo, Hawaii 96720-4212. Include the full names of both parties, the approximate year of the divorce, and the case number if available. Specify plain or certified copy. Include payment by check or money order to the State of Hawaii. Also send a self-addressed stamped envelope for the return. Mail requests take longer than counter visits, so plan ahead if you are working against a deadline.

Copies can also be printed from eCourt Kokua in some cases, or you can pick them up directly from the Hilo Legal Documents counter. Form 3FP260 is the proposed divorce decree form used in the Third Circuit. If you are still in the process of a case, your attorney or the self-help center can help you understand which form stage applies to you.

Big Island Vital Statistics Office in Hilo

The Big Island Vital Statistics office is located at 75 Aupuni Street, Suite 201, Hilo, Hawaii 96720, and can be reached at (808) 974-6008. This office handles birth certificates, death certificates, and some other vital records for the Big Island. Hilo residents sometimes go there first when looking for divorce records, which is understandable since vital statistics offices handled those requests for many years.

As of February 1, 2026, that changed. The Hawaii Department of Health transferred all divorce record responsibility to the Hawaii State Judiciary. The Vital Statistics office in Hilo no longer processes divorce decree requests. If you go there looking for a divorce record, they will direct you to the Third Circuit Family Court. Going straight to Hale Kaulike saves you a stop.

The Big Island Vital Statistics office in Hilo now refers all divorce record requests to the Third Circuit Family Court at Hale Kaulike, following the Hawaii Department of Health's transfer of divorce records in February 2026.

Historical Third Circuit Divorce Records at State Archives

The Hawaii State Archives holds historical Third Circuit divorce case files covering 1854 through 1899. These records are on microfilm, listed as MFL 56, covering cases numbered 1 through 424. Researchers working on genealogy or historical legal questions who need Hilo-area divorce records from the 19th century will find this collection at the State Archives in Honolulu. The archive guides online describe what the collection contains and how to access it.

The State Archives website at ags.hawaii.gov/archives/ has information on how to submit research requests and what materials are available. For records from 1854 to 1899 specifically related to the Third Circuit, the archives are the only source. The Family Court at Hale Kaulike handles records from later periods. If you are searching for a Hilo divorce decree from any time after the 1890s, the court system is where you look. For anything earlier, start with the State Archives.

The Hawaii State Archives collection of Third Circuit divorce records from 1854 to 1899 is available on microfilm for genealogy and historical research, covering the earliest Hilo-area divorce decree filings in the state system.

Legal Aid Resources in Hilo

The Legal Aid Society of Hawaii offers free legal services to eligible Big Island residents. Their main line is (808) 536-4302. They handle family law cases including divorce, and they can assist with paperwork, court filings, and in some cases representation. Income guidelines apply. Hilo residents who qualify may be able to get meaningful legal help without paying attorney fees.

Volunteer Legal Services Hawaii is a second resource. Their number is (808) 528-7046. They use volunteer attorneys to serve people who cannot afford a lawyer. The cases they take change depending on what volunteers are available, so calling to check on current capacity is the right first step. Both organizations are worth contacting if you need legal help and cannot pay for a private attorney.

The core statute for divorce in Hawaii is HRS § 580-1, which sets out residency requirements and grounds. Hawaii is a no-fault state, so neither party needs to prove wrongdoing. The marriage must be shown to be irretrievably broken. Hilo residents going through the process without an attorney can review that statute and the Third Circuit forms available at courts.state.hi.us to get a clearer picture of what the court expects.

Hawaii County Divorce Records

Hilo is the county seat of Hawaii County on the Big Island. All divorce cases in the Hilo Division go through the Third Circuit Family Court at Hale Kaulike. The county page has more information on the Third Circuit system, resources available on the Big Island, and how to access Hawaii County divorce decree records.