Access Wailuku Dissolution of Marriage Records
Wailuku is the county seat of Maui County and the home of the Second Circuit Family Court at Hoapili Hale. If you need to file for dissolution of marriage, search records, or get a copy of a final decree for any case filed in Maui County, this is where you come. The court at Hoapili Hale handles dissolution cases for all of Maui Island as well as Molokai and Lanai. This page covers how the court works, what records are available, fees, forms, and how to search cases online.
Wailuku Overview
Second Circuit Family Court at Hoapili Hale
Hoapili Hale is the main courthouse in Wailuku and the seat of the Second Judicial Circuit. The Second Circuit Family Court here handles all dissolution of marriage cases for Maui County, which includes Maui Island, Molokai, and Lanai. If you live anywhere in Maui County and want to file for dissolution, this is your court. Wailuku residents have the advantage of walking distance to the clerk's office and records room.
The Legal Documents Branch is in Room 106 at Hoapili Hale. Staff there handle records requests, copies, and document access. Hours are 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday, except state holidays. For questions about specific records, call (808) 244-2752. Fax is (808) 244-2932.
| Court | Second Circuit Family Court |
|---|---|
| Address | Hoapili Hale 2145 Main Street Wailuku, HI 96793 |
| Phone | (808) 244-2700 |
| Legal Documents Branch | Room 106, (808) 244-2752 |
| Records Fax | (808) 244-2932 |
| Kids First | (808) 244-2770 |
| ADA Accommodations | (808) 244-2855 or adarequest@courts.hawaii.gov |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM |
The Second Circuit Family Court forms page provides every document needed for a dissolution of marriage case at Hoapili Hale in Wailuku, serving all of Maui County.
The Maui County Clerk's office is also nearby at 200 South High Street, Wailuku, HI 96793, phone (808) 270-7748. The county clerk handles administrative records. Court records and dissolution case files stay with the Family Court clerk at Hoapili Hale.
Dissolution of Marriage Law in Hawaii
All dissolution of marriage proceedings in Hawaii operate under Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 580. This applies in every circuit, including the Second Circuit at Hoapili Hale. Under HRS Section 580-1, the Family Court where at least one spouse is domiciled has exclusive jurisdiction. For Wailuku and all of Maui County, that is the Second Circuit Family Court.
Hawaii is a pure no-fault state. Under HRS Section 580-41, the grounds for dissolution include that the marriage is "irretrievably broken" or that the parties have lived apart for two or more years. No one has to prove wrongdoing. No spouse consent is needed to file. This keeps the process simpler than fault-based states. The court still has to resolve property, debt, custody, and support issues, but the basis for ending the marriage does not require blame.
The residency rule requires that at least one spouse have lived in Hawaii for a minimum of six months before filing. There is no extra county residency requirement beyond that. Military personnel stationed in Hawaii, including at Maui installations, can meet the residency requirement through their orders. If you were married in another state or country, that does not matter. What counts is where you live when you file.
After the complaint is filed and the other spouse is served, there is a mandatory 30-day waiting period before the court can enter a final decree. In Maui County, uncontested cases typically close in two to three months. The median time across all case types runs about 4.5 months. Contested cases involving disputed property, custody, or support often run nine to eighteen months or longer.
Dissolution of Marriage Forms for Wailuku
Free official court forms for Second Circuit dissolution cases are on the Hawaii State Judiciary website. The Maui Family Court forms page has the complete set. You can download and print from home or pick up copies at Room 106 of Hoapili Hale during court hours.
The forms you will likely need include the Complaint for Divorce with Automatic Restraining Order and Summons, the Answer to Complaint, the Income and Expense Statement, and the Asset and Debt Statement. For uncontested cases, there are checklist forms that walk through every required step. Cases with children also require a Kids First notice and a parenting plan. You can reach Kids First at (808) 244-2770.
Filing fees are $215 for cases without children and $265 for cases with children. Payment is due at filing. Fee waivers are available for low-income filers who qualify. Ask the clerk for the waiver application when you visit. The court does not accept fee waiver requests by phone or mail.
Searching Wailuku Dissolution of Marriage Records
Dissolution records from the Second Circuit Family Court are public court records. You can search them online for free using two main tools. The eCourt Kokua portal requires no registration and shows party names, case status, docket entries, and hearing dates. Data updates daily with up to a 48-hour lag. Ho'ohiki covers Family Court civil records from 1983 to present. Both tools let you confirm that a case exists and get the case number before you pay for copies.
The eCourt Kokua portal is the free public search tool for Hawaii court records, including dissolution of marriage cases filed in Wailuku's Second Circuit Family Court.
To get actual documents, you have three options. In person: go to Room 106 at Hoapili Hale between 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM. Online: download through the eCourt system for $3 for 1 to 30 pages, plus $0.10 per page after that. Subscriptions are available at $125 per quarter or $500 per year for regular users. By mail: send your request to the Legal Documents Branch at Hoapili Hale. Mail requests take 15 to 20 business days. If you do not have a case number, include a $5 name search fee. Mail payments must be money orders, cashier's checks, or certified checks only. No personal checks.
Only adult family court records are available to the public. Juvenile records are sealed. Social security numbers and financial account numbers are removed from all public copies before release.
You can also find useful reference information on Maui Second Circuit Court access at RecordsFinder's Second Circuit Court page.
Historical Dissolution Records for Wailuku
Wailuku and the Second Circuit have court records going back well over a century. Historical Second Circuit records from 1848 to 1900 and from 1915, including cases A1 through A319 and microfilm reel MFL 54, are held at the Hawaii State Archives in Honolulu. The Archives address is 364 South King Street, Honolulu. For researchers looking at older dissolution cases or genealogy-related records, the Hawaii State Archives is the right starting point.
The Hawaii State Archives holds historical Second Circuit court records, including early Wailuku dissolution of marriage cases that predate the modern court record system.
For divorces between July 1951 and December 2002, the Hawaii Department of Health Vital Records office also issues short-form divorce certificates. These are separate from court records and only confirm that a dissolution occurred. The Department of Health stopped issuing new divorce certificates on February 1, 2026. For full case files or decrees, contact the Legal Documents Branch at Hoapili Hale regardless of the year.
Maui County Dissolution of Marriage Records
Wailuku is the county seat of Maui County, and the Second Circuit Family Court here serves the entire county. The Maui County page has more information on the court system, fees, record types, and access options for all communities across Maui, Molokai, and Lanai.
Nearby Cities
These Maui communities file dissolution of marriage cases at the Second Circuit Family Court right here in Wailuku at Hoapili Hale.