Find Divorce Records in Kapolei
Kapolei is the home of the First Circuit Family Court, which handles every divorce case filed on O'ahu. If you need to search Kapolei divorce records, request a certified copy of a final decree, or file a new complaint for divorce, the Kapolei Judiciary Complex at 4675 Kapolei Parkway is where the process starts and, for most filers, where it ends. The court serves all of O'ahu, so residents across the island from Honolulu to the North Shore file their cases here or at the sister location downtown. The eCourt Kokua online system lets you search case records for free, but you need to visit or mail the court for certified copies and official documents.
Kapolei Overview
First Circuit Family Court at Kapolei
The Kapolei Judiciary Complex, also called the Ronald T.Y. Moon Courthouse, holds the primary location for First Circuit Family Court on O'ahu. This is where you come to file a new divorce case, drop off completed forms, or speak to a clerk in person. The building sits at 4675 Kapolei Parkway and handles filings for the entire island. A second filing location downtown at Ka'ahumanu Hale, 777 Punchbowl Street, Honolulu, accepts complaints as well. Either location works, but Kapolei is the main family court hub for the west side of O'ahu.
The court serves a wide area. Anyone who lives on O'ahu and meets Hawaii's residency rules can file at this location. You do not have to live in Kapolei itself. Residents from Honolulu, Pearl City, Mililani, and every other O'ahu community use this courthouse. The Waianae District Court also operates out of the same building at 4675 Kapolei Parkway and has public access terminals for looking up case records on site.
| Office | First Circuit Family Court |
|---|---|
| Address | Kapolei Judiciary Complex (Ronald T.Y. Moon Courthouse) 4675 Kapolei Parkway Kapolei, HI 96707 |
| Phone | (808) 954-8000 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 7:45 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Self-Help Center | (808) 954-8290 |
| Mail Address | First Circuit Court – Family Division 777 Punchbowl Street Honolulu, HI 96813 |
Walk-in service is available on the first floor of the Kapolei building. Clerks there can accept new filings, take fee payments, and give you forms. The Self-Help Center phone line at (808) 954-8290 answers questions about which forms to use and how to fill them out. Staff cannot give legal advice, but they can point you to the right paperwork and explain the steps in the process.
How to Search Kapolei Divorce Records
The Hawaii State Judiciary runs eCourt Kokua, a free public search tool for court case records. You can search First Circuit Family Court divorce cases by party name or case number. Results show case status, filing dates, and docket entries. Documents cost $3 each to download from the system.
To search O'ahu divorce cases on eCourt Kokua, go to courts.state.hi.us search court records and select "O'ahu - First Circuit Family Court" from the court drop-down. Enter the name of one party or the case number. The system will return matching cases. You can view the docket for free. To get the actual documents, you pay $3 per file.
The screenshot below shows the eCourt Kokua search interface. Use the court selection drop-down to narrow results to First Circuit Family Court before running your search.
eCourt Kokua covers cases currently in the system. For older records and archived files, you may need to contact the court directly or check the State Archives (more on that below). If you are not sure whether a case is in the online system, call the court at (808) 954-8000 and ask.
You can also request a court records search in person or by mail. The court's records request form is available at courts.state.hi.us court records request Oahu. In-person searches at the courthouse can use the public access terminals in the building to pull up case files and view documents on screen. For public access terminal locations and instructions, see the court's public access terminal page.
Filing for Divorce in Kapolei
You start a divorce case by filing a Complaint for Divorce with the First Circuit Family Court. You can file at the Kapolei Judiciary Complex first floor or at Ka'ahumanu Hale in Honolulu. Both locations accept new filings. You pay the filing fee when you submit. The clerk stamps your complaint and assigns a case number. That number follows the case through every step.
Hawaii law at HRS §580-1 governs who can file in Hawaii courts. You need to meet a domicile requirement. One spouse must be a Hawaii domiciliary. Under Act 69 of 2021, there is no longer a fixed minimum residency period in the statute, though in practice you need to be an O'ahu resident to file in the First Circuit. Active duty military members stationed in Hawaii qualify under the same section. If you are unsure whether you qualify, the Self-Help Center at (808) 954-8290 can give guidance on your situation.
Hawaii is a no-fault divorce state. Under HRS §580-41, the court can grant a divorce based on the assertion that the marriage is irretrievably broken. You do not have to prove fault or wrongdoing by either spouse. The court will also consider property division under HRS §580-47, which uses an equitable distribution framework with 13 factors including the economic partnership concept. Alimony, debt division, and child custody are all separate matters the court handles as part of the same case.
Once you file, the other spouse must be served or must sign a Waiver of Service. If both parties agree on all terms, the case can proceed as uncontested and may move faster. Contested cases go through mediation and, if needed, a trial. Attorneys who file cases in Hawaii have been required to use the Judiciary Electronic Filing System (JEFS) since April 25, 2022. Self-represented parties can still file paper documents in person or by mail.
Note: Hawaii also issues Automatic Temporary Restraining Orders (ATROs) in divorce cases under HRS §580-10.5, which restrict both parties from disposing of assets, changing insurance, or relocating minor children without court approval from the moment of filing.
Kapolei Divorce Filing Fees
Filing fees at the First Circuit Family Court depend on whether minor children are part of the case. Cases without minor children cost $215. Cases with minor children cost $265. The extra $50 covers the Kids First Hawaii surcharge, a mandatory parenting education program fee built into the filing cost. Pay when you file at the Kapolei courthouse or include a check or money order if you file by mail.
Copies of court records come with their own fees. A name search to find a case costs $5. Plain copies are $1 per page. Certified copies cost $2 for the certification plus $1 per page. If you need a certified copy of your Final Divorce Decree, budget for the per-page cost of the full document plus the $2 certification fee. The court also processes requests by mail. Send payment along with your written request to the Family Division mailing address at 777 Punchbowl Street, Honolulu, HI 96813.
Fee waivers are available for people who cannot afford the cost. Ask the clerk at the Kapolei courthouse for the fee waiver application. You will need to show income information. People who receive government assistance or fall below the income threshold often qualify.
Kids First Hawaii at Kapolei
The Kids First Hawaii parenting education program runs on alternating Wednesdays right at the Kapolei Court Complex. This program is required for any divorce case involving minor children filed in the First Circuit. The fee is built into the $265 filing cost for cases with children. Registration opens at 4:30 PM, and the program runs from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM.
The screenshot below shows the Kids First Hawaii program page. Having the program held at the Kapolei courthouse location makes attendance straightforward for families with pending cases there.
To register or ask questions about the schedule, call (808) 954-8280. You can also find dates and details at kidsfirsthawaii.com. If you miss the session or need to attend at a different time, contact the program directly to ask about alternative arrangements. Completing the class is a court requirement, not optional, in cases that involve children.
Self-Help Divorce Resources at Kapolei
The Hawaii State Judiciary maintains a self-help section for divorce at courts.state.hi.us self-help divorce. It walks through each step of the process and links to all official forms. If you are filing without a lawyer, start here before going to the courthouse. The forms specific to O'ahu are at the First Circuit family court forms page.
You can get the same forms in person at the first floor of the Kapolei building. Clerks can hand them out and point you to instructions. The Self-Help Center phone line at (808) 954-8290 is also available to answer procedural questions before or after you visit. These resources are free. The court can help you understand which forms to file, but it cannot tell you what legal strategy to use or how to argue your case.
Legal Aid Service of Hawaii offers free legal help to qualifying residents at legalaidhawaii.org. They handle family law matters including divorce for people who meet income requirements. The University of Hawaii library also has a Hawaii courts research guide at guides.library.manoa.hawaii.edu/hawaiicourts that covers how to find and use court records, including divorce filings.
Divorce Records from DOH and the Archives
Not all divorce records live at the courthouse. The Hawaii Department of Health held divorce records in its vital records system from 1951 through 2002. As of February 2026, DOH stopped issuing certified copies of divorce records. To search what DOH had, or to confirm whether a record was filed there, visit health.hawaii.gov/vitalrecords or the online system at vitrec.ehawaii.gov/vitalrecords. Even before the February 2026 change, DOH only covered a specific date range, so cases before 1951 or after 2002 require a court records search instead.
For historical First Circuit divorce records, the Hawaii State Archives holds case files from 1848 through 1892 under microfilm reel MFL 51. These are the oldest O'ahu divorce records available in a centralized collection. The Archives genealogy research guide at ags.hawaii.gov archives divorce case files explains what is available and how to access it. Researchers looking into pre-statehood or early territorial era divorces on O'ahu should start there.
Cases from the 1900s through the modern era are generally accessible through the court directly. Older paper files may not appear in eCourt Kokua, so a written or in-person request to the First Circuit Family Court is the best approach for records not showing up online.
Honolulu County Divorce Records
Kapolei sits within Honolulu County, and the First Circuit Family Court at the Kapolei Judiciary Complex serves the entire county. All divorce filings on O'ahu go through this system. For broader information on the Honolulu County court system, fees, and access options, visit the county divorce records page.
Nearby Cities
These cities are close to Kapolei on O'ahu. All of them file divorce cases through the First Circuit Family Court at Kapolei or the downtown Honolulu location.