Find Divorce Decree Records in Hawaii County

Hawaii County divorce decree records are kept by the Third Circuit Family Court, which has two divisions on the Big Island: one in Hilo and one in Kona. Whether you need to look up a filed case or get a certified copy of a divorce decree, this guide covers how to search online, what to bring if you visit the courthouse in person, and what restrictions apply to certain Hawaii County divorce records under state law.

Hawaii County Third Circuit Family Court

The Third Circuit Family Court handles all divorce decree filings for Hawaii County. It runs two divisions: the Hilo Division at Hale Kaulike and the Kona Division at the Keakealani Building in Kailua-Kona. You file in the division closest to where you live, or in the division where the divorce case was originally filed if you are requesting copies of an older decree.

The Hilo Division is the primary location. It sits at 777 Kilauea Avenue and can be reached at (808) 961-7400. Hours run Monday through Friday, 7:45 AM to 4:30 PM. For JEFS-related questions or to contact the court by email, use CFC.3CC@courts.hawaii.gov. The Kona Division is at 74-5451 Kamakaeha Avenue in Kailua-Kona, phone (808) 322-8700, with the same weekday hours. The Kona JEFS line is (808) 443-2112. Both divisions use the same email address for electronic filing support.

Each division also has a Legal Documents Branch for record requests and copy services. The Hilo branch is inside Hale Kaulike at the same address. The Kona Legal Documents Branch is located at 79-1020 Haukapila Street in Kealakekua, with a fax line at 808-322-8730. If you are mailing a request, use the Legal Documents Branch address for the division that handled the case.

The court's official search portal for Hawaii County divorce decree filings is accessible through the Hawaii State Judiciary website. The page below shows the court records search tool used by researchers and the public to look up Third Circuit cases.

The Hawaii State Judiciary court records search page provides access to case information for Hawaii County and other circuits across the state.

The Third Circuit Family Court in Hilo is the primary office where divorce decree case files for Hawaii County are stored and maintained.

Searching Hawaii County Divorce Decree Records

The Hawaii State Judiciary offers two main online tools for looking up divorce decree records in Hawaii County. The first is eCourt Kokua, which is a public search portal where anyone can look up case information by entering a party name or case number. It shows basic case details: who filed, when the case was opened, and the current status. It does not show confidential cases. If a case is sealed or marked confidential, it will not appear in eCourt Kokua at all.

The second tool is Ho'ohiki, which is designed for family court records specifically. Like eCourt Kokua, it is accessible from the state courts website and lets you search Hawaii County divorce filings. Attorneys and other registered users can also log into JEFS, the Judiciary Electronic Filing System, which provides deeper access to case documents. Members of the public without a JEFS account use eCourt Kokua or Ho'ohiki for general searches.

To get the most out of an online search for a Hawaii County divorce decree, have at least one party's full name and an approximate year of filing ready. A case number speeds things up a lot. If you do not have the case number, searching by the last name of one party usually brings up results. The system lists cases for Hawaii County under the Third Circuit designation.

The screenshot below comes from the Hawaii State Judiciary court records search tool, where divorce decree filings for the Third Circuit can be located by case number or party name.

The court records search tool is available to the public and covers Hawaii County dissolution cases filed in the Third Circuit.

Using the name search option on eCourt Kokua, you can pull up Hawaii County divorce decree cases going back many years without visiting a courthouse.

Additional access to Third Circuit divorce records is shown in the search interface below, which covers dissolution filings indexed by the Hawaii State Judiciary for Hawaii County cases.

The Hawaii County divorce records search page gives you a starting point whether you know the case number or only the names of the parties involved.

If you cannot find a case online, it may be sealed or it may predate the electronic records system, in which case an in-person visit to the Hilo or Kona courthouse is the right next step.

Requesting Copies of a Divorce Decree in Hawaii County

Getting a copy of a divorce decree from Hawaii County means working with the Legal Documents Branch at either the Hilo or Kona courthouse. There are three ways to do this: in person, by mail, or by printing from eCourt Kokua if the case is not confidential and is available in the system.

For in-person requests, go to the Hale Kaulike Legal Documents Branch in Hilo or the Keakealani Building Legal Documents Branch in Kona during normal business hours. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID. You will need to know at least the names of both parties and the year the divorce was filed. If you have the case number, bring that too. The clerk will pull the file and let you know what documents are available and what they cost. Standard copy fees run $1.00 per page, with certified copies adding $2.00 per document on top of that.

For mail requests, send a written request to the Legal Documents Branch at the courthouse where the case was filed. Include the names of both parties, the case number if you have it, the filing year, and a description of the specific documents you need. Also include your contact information, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and a check or money order for the copy fees. If you are not sure of the total, contact the court first at (808) 961-7400 for Hilo or (808) 322-8700 for Kona.

Form 3FP260 is the official Third Circuit form for a proposed divorce decree. It includes options for how you want to receive your completed document: by mail using a self-addressed prepaid envelope, by pickup at the Hilo, Waimea, or Kona Legal Documents Counter, or by printing directly from eCourt Kokua once it is filed. Document fees run $3.00 per document or 10 cents per page, whichever is greater. Certified copies cost an additional $2.00 per document.

Self-Help Centers on Hawaii Island

The Third Circuit offers self-help resources for people who need guidance with divorce filings or record requests but cannot afford a lawyer. The Hilo Self-Help Center is located on the first floor of Hale Kaulike at 777 Kilauea Avenue. It is open on Tuesdays and Fridays from 11:15 AM to 12:45 PM. Walk-in only. No appointments. Call (808) 961-0609 if you have questions before you go.

The Kona Self-Help Desk is in the Law Library at the Kona Courthouse, 79-1020 Haukapila Street in Kealakekua. It is open on Wednesdays from 11 AM to 1 PM. Like Hilo, it is a walk-in service with no appointment needed. Staff at both locations can help you understand the process, identify which forms you need, and explain how to file or request records correctly.

Parents filing for divorce in Hawaii County with minor children must complete the Kids First Program before the court will finalize the decree. This is a mandatory step, not optional. Call (808) 896-6465 for Hilo scheduling. The program is designed to help parents focus on children's needs during the divorce process. Plan for this requirement early since it can add time to the overall timeline.

Legal Aid and Free Resources in Hawaii County

Two main organizations offer free or low-cost legal help for divorce matters in Hawaii County. The Legal Aid Society of Hawaii (LASH) provides legal assistance to people who qualify based on income. They handle family law cases including divorce, custody, and support. You can reach LASH by calling (808) 536-4302. Their staff can tell you whether you qualify and what services they offer for Hawaii County residents.

Volunteer Legal Services Hawaii (VLSH) also serves Hawaii County residents. They connect people with volunteer attorneys who provide free legal help in family law matters. Their number is (808) 528-7046. Both organizations can be a good first call if you are unsure how to start the divorce process or how to track down records and decree copies on your own.

For general self-help guides, the Hawaii State Judiciary website has forms and instructions for Third Circuit filings. The court's self-help centers in Hilo and Kona can also point you to the right resources. If you need help finding a private attorney, the Hawaii State Bar Association runs a referral service that can connect you with a family law lawyer in the area.

Historical Divorce Decree Records for Hawaii County

The Hawaii State Archives holds Third Circuit divorce case files dating from 1854 to 1899. These records are catalogued as microfilm MFL 56, cases 1 through 424, and span three cubic foot boxes arranged by case number. This collection covers the earliest formal divorce proceedings on the Big Island and contains a rich set of documents for genealogical and legal research.

Each case file in the collection can include an application for divorce, summons, affidavit of publication, the divorce decree itself, and statements from both husband and wife. The files often note the date of the original marriage, the residence of both parties, the reasons given for the divorce, and any children involved. Fees paid to the court at the time are also sometimes recorded. Some documents are in Hawaiian and some are in English; a portion of the Hawaiian-language documents have been translated to English within the same file.

Minutes from these early cases also appear in the Civil and Criminal Minute Books of the Third Circuit Court, Series 244. Case files from 1853 to 1900 for the Hamakua, Hilo, and Puna districts are additionally filed in Series 014. Researchers looking for pre-1900 Hawaii County divorce records should check both series. Contact the Hawaii State Archives directly to arrange access or to ask about specific case numbers.

The screenshot below is from the State Archives guide to Third Circuit divorce case files, which covers the historical collection maintained for Hawaii County records from the nineteenth century.

The Hawaii State Archives divorce case files collection page describes what is available for the Third Circuit and how to access historical Hawaii County records.

The Archives collection for the Third Circuit is one of the oldest surviving sets of divorce decree records in the state and can be a valuable resource for family history research tied to the Big Island.

Public Access to Hawaii County Divorce Records

Hawaii County divorce decree records have a split status under state law. Basic case information is generally public through the Uniform Information Practices Act, HRS § 92F. This includes case numbers, the names of the parties, filing dates, and a general procedural history. Anyone can ask for this kind of information at the courthouse or search for it through eCourt Kokua.

Divorce certificates, on the other hand, are restricted. Under Hawaii Administrative Rules § 8-1-2.1, only certain people can obtain a divorce certificate: the divorced parties themselves, immediate family members, legal representatives, or government agencies acting for official purposes. A court order can also open access in some situations. This rule is separate from access to the actual case file documents, which operate under different standards.

Some parts of a divorce case file may be sealed or redacted even when the basic case record is public. Financial source documents such as tax returns, custody evaluations, and similar materials may be withheld or available only to the parties. The court makes these decisions on a case-by-case basis. If you run into a sealed filing while searching Hawaii County divorce records, the clerk can explain what steps are available to request review or limited access.

Under HRS § 580-1, the family court holds jurisdiction over divorce proceedings in Hawaii. Permanent archives of decrees and judgments are maintained by the Judiciary under HRS § 602-5.5. This means Hawaii County divorce decree records do not expire or get destroyed after a set number of years. They remain on file at the court.

As of February 1, 2026, the Hawaii Department of Health no longer maintains divorce records. The Big Island Vital Statistics Office at 75 Aupuni Street, Suite 201 in Hilo, phone (808) 974-6008, previously handled some requests, but all divorce decree requests now go to the Family Court directly. The image below shows the vital statistics office page where this policy change is noted.

The Hawaii County Big Island Vital Statistics office page confirms that divorce records are no longer processed through the Department of Health as of early 2026.

Anyone who previously contacted the Vital Statistics office for divorce decree records should now direct all requests to the Third Circuit Family Court in Hilo or Kona instead.

Filing Requirements for Hawaii County Divorce

To file for divorce in Hawaii County, at least one spouse must have lived in Hawaii for six months and in the Third Circuit (Hawaii County) for at least three months before filing. These are hard residency rules set by the state. If you do not meet them yet, you cannot file in Hawaii County until the waiting period is up. The Third Circuit Family Court clerks can confirm whether you meet the threshold when you come in to start your case.

Divorce in Hawaii County typically takes several months from filing to final decree. Agreed cases where both parties sign off on all terms move faster. Contested cases involving disputes over property, custody, or support can take much longer and may require hearings or mediation before the judge signs off. The decree itself is what closes the case, and certified copies of that document are what most people need going forward for legal and administrative purposes.

Cities in Hawaii County

Hawaii County covers the entire Big Island. All divorce decree filings go through the Third Circuit Family Court in Hilo or Kona regardless of which community on the island you live in.

Other communities on the Big Island include Kailua-Kona, Waimea, Pahoa, Captain Cook, and Naalehu. None of these have separate court systems. All divorce decree cases for Hawaii County are handled by the Third Circuit.

Nearby Counties

Hawaii has four other counties. Each has its own circuit court that handles divorce decree filings for its area. If you are not sure which county applies to your case, check where you have lived for the past three months.