Find Divorce Decree Records in Honolulu County
Honolulu County divorce decree records are kept by the First Circuit Family Court on Oahu. If you need to search for a divorce case, get a certified copy of a decree, or learn what documents exist for a specific dissolution filing, this guide covers how the process works in Honolulu County. The court serves the entire island of Oahu, and records go back well over a century. You can search online through the eCourt Kokua system or visit the courthouse in Kapolei to request copies in person or by mail.
Honolulu County Overview
Honolulu County Family Court for Divorce Decrees
Divorce decree filings in Honolulu County go through the First Circuit Family Court, which covers all of Oahu. The main family court facility is the Ronald T.Y. Moon Courthouse at the Kapolei Judiciary Complex. This is where you file paperwork, attend hearings, and pick up certified copies of a divorce decree. The Kapolei location handles the bulk of family law matters for the county.
The courthouse at 4675 Kapolei Parkway in Kapolei, HI 96707 is the primary place to go for divorce decree records. The general phone line for the Family Court is (808) 954-8000. If you need help with JEFS, the court's electronic filing system, you can reach the support team at FCCivil.1CC@courts.hawaii.gov or call (808) 954-8101. Staff can help with case lookups and copy requests. They do not give legal advice, but they can point you to the right forms and offices.
The county also has a second major courthouse downtown. Ka'ahumanu Hale at 777 Punchbowl Street, Honolulu, HI 96813 handles circuit court matters and can be reached at (808) 539-4767. Mail requests for divorce decree copies go to this address. Several district court locations serve different parts of Oahu as well, including Ewa/Pearl City at 870 Fourth Street in Pearl City, Kaneohe at 45-939 Pookela Street, Wahiawa at 1034 Kilani Avenue, and Waianae at 4675 Kapolei Parkway.
Hours vary by location. Call ahead before you visit. The Kapolei complex handles family court matters, so if you are looking for a divorce decree specifically, that is the right place to start.
Searching Honolulu County Divorce Decree Records Online
The Hawaii Judiciary's eCourt Kokua system lets you search divorce decree records from Honolulu County without visiting the courthouse. It is free to use and works for most cases filed in recent years. You can look up cases by party name, case number, or attorney name.
To find a divorce decree in Honolulu County using eCourt Kokua, go to the Party Search option and set the case type to "DV- Divorce" from the dropdown menu. Then enter the name of one of the parties. The results show the case number, filing date, case status, and a list of docket entries. Basic information like party names, the case number, filing dates, and the current status is visible to the public. The full decree and financial documents are restricted to parties, their attorneys, and others with a direct interest in the case.
The official courts search page is a good starting point for any Honolulu County divorce decree lookup.
The eCourt Kokua system covers cases handled under Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 92F, which gives the public the right to access government records. Divorce records are generally public unless a judge has ordered them sealed. Note: Some older cases may not appear online. For records filed before the electronic system was in place, you may need to contact the courthouse directly or check with the Hawaii State Archives.
The Hawaii Judiciary's court records search page shows case information for Honolulu County divorce decree filings, including party names, docket entries, and case status from the First Circuit Family Court.
Using the eCourt Kokua system, you can search Honolulu County divorce records by selecting the "DV- Divorce" case type and entering a party name to pull up relevant filings and decree information.
Honolulu County court records online access through the state judiciary portal allows users to retrieve divorce decree case details, docket history, and filing status for First Circuit cases.
The Honolulu County records page on the Hawaii Judiciary website outlines the options available for accessing divorce decree documents, including online search, in-person visits, and mail requests.
How to Request Copies of a Divorce Decree in Honolulu County
If you need a physical copy of a Honolulu County divorce decree, you have three main options: visit the courthouse in person, send a request by mail, or work through an attorney who can pull records on your behalf. Each method has its own process. In-person visits let you get copies the same day in many cases. Mail requests take longer but work well if you are not on Oahu.
For in-person requests, go to the Family Court at the Kapolei Judiciary Complex. Bring a valid photo ID and know the case number or the names of both parties and the approximate year of filing. Staff will locate the file and make copies for you. For mail requests, send your written request to 777 Punchbowl Street, Honolulu, HI 96813. Include the case number, party names, the type of document you need, and your return address. Payment must be a money order or cashier's check made payable to "State Director of Finance."
Copy fees in Honolulu County are set under Hawaii Revised Statutes and the court's own fee schedule under HRS § 607-5. Fees range from $1.00 to $10 per page depending on the document type. Expedited requests carry an additional $10.00 charge. Court records are subject to permanent retention under HRS § 602-5.5, so documents from older cases should still be on file at the courthouse or in the archives.
Note: As of February 1, 2026, the Hawaii Department of Health no longer maintains divorce records. All requests for divorce decrees must go through the First Circuit Family Court, not the DOH office at 1250 Punchbowl Street.
Divorce Decree Forms for Oahu
The First Circuit Family Court provides a set of official forms for divorce filings on Oahu. These forms are specific to Honolulu County and differ slightly from forms used in other circuits. You can get them at the Ho'okele service center inside the Kapolei Courthouse or download them from the Hawaii Judiciary's Oahu Family Court Forms page.
The Oahu Family Court forms page on the Hawaii Judiciary website provides downloadable packets for divorce decree filings, including forms for uncontested and contested cases in the First Circuit.
Common forms used in Honolulu County divorce cases include Form 1F-P-3067 (Uncontested Divorce Without Children Checklist), Form 1F-P-2039 (Complaint for Divorce, Automatic Restraining Order, and Summons), Form 1F-P-1071 (Answer to Complaint), Form 1F-P-082 (Matrimonial Action Information), Form 1F-P-332 (Appearance and Waiver), Form 1F-P-081 (Income and Expense Statement), Form 1F-P-063 (Asset and Debt Statement), Form 1F-P-333B (Affidavit of Plaintiff for cases filed after January 1, 2022), and Form 1F-P-1056 (Divorce Decree Without Children). Each form covers a specific part of the process. The checklist form (1F-P-3067) is a good place to start if you are not sure which documents you need.
Forms must be filled out fully. Leave no blanks. Incomplete forms get returned. Staff at Ho'okele can help you understand what each form asks for, but they cannot tell you what to write.
Self-Help Resources in Honolulu County
Honolulu County has more self-help support for divorce cases than most Hawaii counties. The First Circuit Family Court runs a service center called Ho'okele inside the Ronald T.Y. Moon Kapolei Courthouse on the first floor. Ho'okele provides brochures, self-help packets, court forms, instructions, and one-on-one assistance for people who do not have lawyers. You can reach them by phone at (808) 954-8290. They cannot give legal advice, but they can explain the process and point you to the right forms.
Two Access to Justice Rooms serve Honolulu County. The Kapolei Access to Justice Room (KAJR) at the Kapolei Courthouse offers free consultations with volunteer attorneys from the Hawaii Bar Association's Family Law Section. Sessions run on the first and third Thursdays of each month from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Schedule your spot by calling Ho'okele at (808) 954-8290. The Downtown Access to Justice Room at Kauikeaouli Hale, 1111 Alakea Street, 3rd Floor, is open Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and on the first and third Fridays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Contact the District Court Service Center at (808) 538-5629 to set up a visit.
The First Circuit also holds a free monthly Divorce Law in Hawaii seminar at the Kapolei Courthouse. Topics include the law and the process, ways to settle disputes, and how to reduce conflict. The seminar does not require you to have a lawyer or a pending case. It is open to anyone thinking about filing or already in the process.
For low-income residents, the Legal Aid Society of Hawaii (LASH) offers free legal help. Call them at (808) 536-4302 to ask about eligibility and services. Volunteer Legal Services Hawaii (VLSH) can be reached at (808) 528-7046. Both groups handle family law cases including divorce decree filings in Honolulu County.
Legal Navigator Hawaii's First Circuit Family Court resource page provides contact details, self-help options, and guidance for people navigating divorce decree cases in Honolulu County.
Are Honolulu County Divorce Records Public?
Most Honolulu County divorce decree records are public. Anyone can look up basic case information: the names of the parties, the case number, case type, filing dates, and the current status of the case. This access is grounded in Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 92F, the Uniform Information Practices Act (UIPA), which gives the public a broad right to access government records.
That said, not everything in a divorce file is open to everyone. The full decree and financial documents such as income and expense statements, asset and debt disclosures, and tax records are restricted. Only the parties themselves, their attorneys, and people with a demonstrated direct interest in the case can get access to those documents. Hawaii Rules of Court Rule 9 outlines what the courts can and cannot make public. If a judge seals a record, it is not accessible to anyone without a court order. Sealed cases do not usually appear in public searches at all.
Under HRS § 580-41, Hawaii is a strict no-fault divorce state. The only recognized ground is that the marriage is irretrievably broken. This means divorce filings in Honolulu County do not contain fault allegations or accusations the way older divorce records from other states might. The documents tend to focus on financial and custody matters rather than personal conduct claims.
Note: If you believe a record has been improperly withheld, you can file a UIPA request with the court. The Office of Information Practices at the Hawaii Attorney General's office handles disputes over access to government records.
Historical Divorce Decree Records in Honolulu County
For divorce decrees filed before the modern court records system, the Hawaii State Archives is the main source. The Archives holds First Circuit divorce case files going back to 1848. Records from 1848 to 1892 are on microfilm, under MFL 51, covering cases 1 through 2415. These are among the oldest official court records in the state and include some of the earliest dissolution proceedings handled in Hawaii.
The Hawaii State Archives is located at 364 S. King Street, Honolulu, HI 96813. The phone number is (808) 586-0329. Staff can help you locate microfilm records and explain the process for requesting copies of historical files. Hours and access procedures may vary, so call ahead before visiting. Some records have been digitized, but many older files still require an in-person visit or a mail request.
If you are researching family history or trying to find a divorce decree from the mid-to-late 1800s, the Archives is the right place to start. For cases after 1892, the courthouse in Kapolei or the circuit court at Ka'ahumanu Hale downtown is the better option.
Cities in Honolulu County
All cities on the island of Oahu fall within Honolulu County. Divorce decree cases for residents across the island go through the First Circuit Family Court in Kapolei.
Nearby Counties
Hawaii's other counties each handle divorce decree records through their own circuit courts. If you are not sure which county applies to your case, the rule is simple: file in the circuit where you or your spouse lives and has met the residency requirement.