Honolulu Small Claims Court: Where and How to File

Which court

Small claims is part of District Court, not Circuit Court. Oahu is split into divisions: Honolulu covers Red Hill to Hawaii Kai, and other parts of the island have their own courthouses in Pearl City, Kapolei, Wahiawa and Kaneohe.

Where and how to file

Limit	$5,000
Court	District Court of the First Circuit, Honolulu Division (Small Claims)
Address	Kauikeaouli Hale, 1111 Alakea Street, 3rd Floor, Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone	808-538-5629
Hours	Office Monday to Friday, 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; filing and payment 8:00 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. (from a 2014 court brochure)
Fees	$35 to file. A judge may waive it for financial hardship.
Timing	The Judiciary says the case will be scheduled within 30 days.
Serving papers	You serve the defendant by certified or registered mail, restricted delivery, or through a civil process server, another adult who is not a party, or yourself with a witness or the defendant's signed acknowledgment. You pay the postage or the server's fee and mileage.

District Court of the First Circuit, Honolulu Division (Small Claims) small claims page

Good to know here

Cases must be filed in person. A defendant's counterclaim can go up to $40,000.
A tenant's claim for return of a residential security deposit has no dollar limit, and attorneys cannot appear for either side in those cases.
Mediation at court is mandatory on Oahu, usually at the first date both sides attend.
There is no right to appeal a small claims decision.
Bring evidence to trial rather than attaching it to the claim, with copies for the judge and the other side.

Hours, fees and locations change. Call the court or check its site before you go.

Honolulu Small Claims Court

Where and how to file

Good to know here

Sources

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