Honolulu County Dissolution of Marriage Records

Honolulu County dissolution of marriage records are filed and maintained by the First Circuit Family Court, which serves the entire island of Oahu. Whether you need to search for an active case, get a copy of a final decree, or look up a historical filing, this guide covers the main ways to find dissolution records in Honolulu County, including online tools, courthouse visits, and requests to the Hawaii Department of Health and State Archives.

First Circuit Family Court

The First Circuit Family Court handles all dissolution of marriage cases in Honolulu County. It is the only Family Court serving all of Oahu, and it has exclusive original jurisdiction over dissolution proceedings filed by anyone domiciled in the First Circuit. Under Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 580, the Family Court of the circuit where you live is the right place to file. The main courthouse is at the Kapolei Judiciary Complex.

The court serves a large and diverse population. Honolulu County covers the full island of Oahu, from Kapolei in the west to Kaneohe on the windward side. Cases range from simple uncontested dissolutions to complex matters involving property, custody, and support. Staff at the courthouse can help you find a case, check a filing status, or get copies of documents. They do not give legal advice, but they can point you to the right forms and offices.

The First Circuit also operates several other court locations around Oahu. Ka'ahumanu Hale Circuit Court at 777 Punchbowl Street in Honolulu has public access terminals on the first floor, open 8 AM to 4 PM on a first-come, first-served basis. Kauikeaouli Hale District Court at 1111 Alakea Street has a Legal Documents Branch reachable by phone at (808) 538-5149 or email at LDB2.1DC@courts.hawaii.gov, with hours of 8 AM to 1 PM weekdays. Other district court locations in Pearl City, Kaneohe, Wahiawa, and Waianae also serve different parts of the island.

The First Circuit first opened court proceedings related to the island of Oahu before Hawaii statehood. It is a large operation by any measure. Volume is high, and wait times for contested matters can stretch well beyond a few months. Uncontested dissolutions tend to move faster, especially when both parties have agreed on all issues before they file.

The Hawaii State Judiciary maintains the Family Courts page with current contact information for all circuits, including the First Circuit. You can also reach the Ali'iolani Hale Supreme Court Law Library at 417 S. King Street by appointment at (808) 539-4964 if you need to do legal research. Hours are 7:45 AM to 4:15 PM with a one-hour limit per appointment.

Search Honolulu County Dissolution of Marriage Records Online

Two main tools let you search dissolution of marriage records in Honolulu County without going to the courthouse. Both are free to use for basic case lookups. You can find party names, case numbers, filing dates, and current case status through either system.

The first tool is eCourt Kokua, available at jimspss1.courts.state.hi.us. This is the Hawaii Judiciary's main public case search portal. It covers all circuits, including the First Circuit that serves Honolulu County. You can search by party name or by case number. The system updates daily, so information is typically within 48 hours of any court action. Case numbers for First Circuit family dissolution matters follow a format like 1FDV-22-0000001, where the first digit is the circuit number, FDV stands for family dissolution, and the year and sequence number follow.

The second tool is Ho'ohiki, found at courts.state.hi.us. Ho'ohiki also lets you search by name or case number across all circuits. Both systems show docket entries and basic case information. Neither shows full document text for free. To read or download actual court documents, you need to pay a fee or visit a public access terminal at the courthouse.

If you want to download documents through eCourt Kokua, the cost is $3 per document for up to 30 pages, with $0.10 per additional page. You can also buy a subscription: $125 per quarter or $500 per year for unlimited downloads. For casual users, the per-document fee makes more sense. For law firms or researchers who need lots of files, the subscription saves money.

Public access terminals at Ka'ahumanu Hale at 777 Punchbowl Street let you search and print documents on-site. The terminals are available on a first-come, first-served basis from 8 AM to 4 PM. Details about First Circuit public access terminals are listed on the Hawaii Judiciary website. This is a good option if you only need a few documents and don't want to pay for a remote download account.

The screenshot below is from the First Circuit legal documents and public access terminal page maintained by the Hawaii State Judiciary.

Visit the First Circuit legal documents page to learn about in-person access options at Ka'ahumanu Hale.

The page outlines where terminals are located and the hours for walk-in document access in Honolulu County.

Filing for Dissolution of Marriage in Honolulu County

Hawaii is a no-fault state. You do not need to prove wrongdoing to get a dissolution of marriage. The main legal ground is that the marriage is irretrievably broken, as stated in HRS Section 580-41. Living separate and apart is also listed as grounds. The court does not require you to explain why the marriage ended.

Before you can file in Honolulu County, you must meet the residency rule. HRS Section 580-1 gives exclusive original jurisdiction to the Family Court of the circuit where you are domiciled. You need to have lived in Hawaii for at least six months before filing. Military personnel who are stationed in Hawaii can meet this requirement even if Hawaii is not their official home of record.

When you file, you submit a Complaint for Divorce, an Automatic Restraining Order, and a Summons. The clerk stamps the documents, keeps the original for the court file, and returns copies to you. The complaint is assigned a case number. You then must serve the other party unless they sign an Appearance and Waiver. Form numbers for the First Circuit include 1F-P-2039 for the complaint, 1F-P-1071 for the answer, and 1F-P-333B for the Affidavit of Plaintiff filed after January 1, 2022.

If you have minor children, both parents must attend the Kids First program before the case can be finalized. Contact the program at (808) 954-8280 or visit kidsfirsthawaii.com to schedule. Parents can request an excuse using Form 1F-P-835 in limited circumstances. Uncontested cases where both parties agree on all terms tend to resolve much faster than contested ones. Uncontested Divorce forms for cases without children use Form 1F-P-3067, and cases with children use Form 1F-P-3066.

All First Circuit dissolution forms are available at courts.state.hi.us. The self-help page includes packets for both contested and uncontested matters, along with instructions. The Honolulu County forms screenshot below is taken from that page.

The First Circuit Oahu family court forms page has downloadable packets for dissolution of marriage filings.

The forms page includes self-help packets, individual forms, and instructions for people filing dissolution of marriage cases in Honolulu County without an attorney.

Fees and Costs for Dissolution Records

Getting copies of dissolution of marriage records in Honolulu County involves a few different fees depending on where you request them. Certified copies from the Family Court typically cost $3 to $5 per document plus a $2 to $3 certification fee. Document downloads through eCourt Kokua cost $3 for up to 30 pages.

The Hawaii Department of Health holds divorce certificates for the period from July 1951 through December 2002. The DOH office is at 1250 Punchbowl Street, Room 103, Honolulu. The fee is $10 for the first certified copy and $4 for each additional copy ordered at the same time. Note that effective February 1, 2026, the DOH will no longer maintain divorce records, so for recent cases you need to go directly to the court. Learn more at health.hawaii.gov/vitalrecords.

For historical records held by the Hawaii State Archives, the copy fee is $0.25 per page plus a $5 certification fee. The Archives are at 364 S. King Street, Honolulu, and can be reached at (808) 586-0329. They hold First Circuit case files from 1848 to 1892, covering cases 1 through 2415. Note that case file 2147 was not transferred to the Archives.

What Honolulu County Dissolution Records Contain

A dissolution of marriage case file in Honolulu County can include many types of documents. The complaint is the first paper filed. It states the names of both parties, the date of marriage, any children, and what the petitioner is asking the court to do. The final decree is the order that ends the marriage. It sets out all the terms both parties must follow.

Case files typically include financial documents such as the Income and Expense Statement (Form 1F-P-081) and the Asset and Debt Statement (Form 1F-P-063). These show each party's income, monthly costs, assets, and debts. The decree may address alimony, child custody (both legal and physical), visitation schedules, child support amounts, health insurance for children, and how property and debts are divided. Property covered can include the marital home, vehicles, bank accounts, retirement plans, and personal property.

Only adult family court records are public. Juvenile family court records are sealed by statute and cannot be accessed through standard records requests. Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, and other sensitive financial data are redacted from public versions of court documents. The eCourt Kokua portal shows the redacted public versions when you download documents.

eCourt Kokua and Online Access for Honolulu County

eCourt Kokua is the Hawaii Judiciary's online portal for case records. It covers all circuits including the First Circuit in Honolulu County. You can search dissolution of marriage cases by the names of the parties or by case number. The system is free to search. Document downloads cost $3 per document.

The portal at jimspss1.courts.state.hi.us is updated daily, with data typically posted within 48 hours of a court event. This means you can check whether a decree has been entered, a hearing has been set, or a new filing has come in. The system does not require an account to search, but you do need to create one to download and pay for documents.

eCourt Kokua lets you search Honolulu County dissolution cases by party name or case number and view docket entries without a courthouse visit.

The JIMS system availability page shows current uptime and maintenance schedules for the court records system. If eCourt Kokua is down for maintenance, check this page for an estimated return time. The system occasionally goes offline on weekends for scheduled updates.

Historical Dissolution Records and State Archives

For older dissolution of marriage cases in Honolulu County, the Hawaii State Archives is the best resource. The Archives hold First Circuit case files from 1848 to 1892, covering cases numbered 1 through 2415. Note that case file 2147 was not transferred. These records are part of the MFL 51 collection. The Archives are at 364 S. King Street, Honolulu, and the phone number is (808) 586-0329.

For records from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Hawaii State Archives genealogy research guide is a helpful starting point. The guide walks you through what records are available, how they are organized, and how to request copies. The Hawaii Digital Archives also has some historical records available online without a visit to the Archives in person.

Dissolution cases from 1892 onward are generally still in court custody rather than transferred to the Archives. For those records, contact the First Circuit Family Court directly or search through eCourt Kokua and Ho'ohiki. The Ho'ohiki search portal covers a broad range of years for court records in the First Circuit.

Legal Resources for Honolulu County Dissolution Cases

Several resources can help people with dissolution of marriage matters in Honolulu County. The Hawaii State Judiciary offers monthly "Divorce Law in Hawaii" public education seminars. These are free and open to anyone who wants to understand how the process works. Check the Judiciary website for current dates and locations.

The self-help center at the courthouse provides forms, instructions, and basic guidance. Staff cannot give legal advice, but they can help you find the right forms and explain what documents go where. All dissolution forms for the First Circuit are available for free download at courts.state.hi.us. The self-help divorce guide at courts.state.hi.us/self-help/divorce/divorce_facts covers the basics of dissolution law in Hawaii, including residency rules, what happens with property, and how children's issues are handled.

Hawaii Legal Aid and similar organizations help low-income residents with family law matters. If you cannot afford a lawyer, contact legal aid to see if you qualify for free help. For the full text of Hawaii's dissolution statutes, see HRS Chapter 580 on Justia. This chapter covers grounds, jurisdiction, residency requirements, and related matters.

Cities in Honolulu County

All cities and communities on Oahu file dissolution of marriage cases through the First Circuit Family Court. The cities below are the most populous communities in Honolulu County.

Nearby Counties

Hawaii's other counties each have their own Family Court circuit. If you live outside Oahu, check the county that matches your island and address.