Search Hawaii County Divorce Records

Hawaii County divorce records are maintained by the Third Circuit Family Court, which serves the entire Big Island through two courthouses in Hilo and Kailua-Kona. Whether you need to look up a case for legal purposes, confirm a divorce decree, or trace family history, this page walks you through the main ways to find and request divorce records in Hawaii County, including online search tools, in-person options, mail requests, and historical archives held by the state.

Where Hawaii County Divorce Records Are Held

Hawaii County divorce records sit in a few different places depending on when the divorce happened and what type of document you need. The Third Circuit Family Court holds all active and recent case files. For older records, the Hawaii State Archives has historical files going back to the mid-1800s. The state Department of Health held certified divorce certificates for cases from July 1951 through December 2002, but that program ended on February 1, 2026. DOH no longer issues new divorce certificates.

The Third Circuit operates two family court locations on the Big Island. The Hilo division, known as Hale Kaulike, sits at 777 Kilauea Avenue and is the main filing hub. The Kona division, Keahuolu Courthouse, is at 74-5451 Kamakaeha Avenue in Kailua-Kona and handles cases from the western side of the island. There is also a South Kohala District Court in Kamuela (Waimea), though active files for that area are managed by Keahuolu courthouse staff. Each location has public access terminals where you can search and view case records at no charge.

eCourt Kokua is the Hawaii Judiciary's online case search system. It gives the public access to basic case information for Third Circuit divorce cases without needing to visit a courthouse in person. You can pull up case numbers, party names, filing dates, and procedural history through the web portal.

How to Search Third Circuit Divorce Records

The fastest way to search Hawaii County divorce records is through eCourt Kokua, the state judiciary's public records portal. When you get to the site, select "Third Circuit" from the circuit dropdown to narrow results to Big Island cases. Divorce case IDs follow a specific format: the number 3 (for Third Circuit), followed by "DV," the two-digit year, a century digit, and a six-digit case number. If you know the approximate year of filing, that helps narrow things down quickly.

If you prefer to search in person, public access terminals are available at both courthouse locations. At Hale Kaulike in Hilo, the terminals are on the first floor near the Legal Documents Section and also in the Law Library on the second floor. At Keahuolu in Kona, terminals are in the Law Library on the third floor. Both locations are open for public access Monday through Friday from 7:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis. No appointment is needed, but bring a government-issued photo ID if you plan to request copies while you're there.

Searching is free. Costs only come in when you want copies of documents. Printing through eCourt Kokua runs $3.00 per document up to 30 pages, with $0.10 per page after that. Certified copies add $2.00 to the base fee. Frequent users can get a subscription for $125 per quarter or $500 per year.

The Hawaii State Archives holds a rich collection of Third Circuit divorce case files dating back to 1854. You can browse the digital inventory at the archives portal, which lists original case files from 1854 to 1899 covering cases 1 through 424. Browse the Third Circuit historical divorce records at the Hawaii State Digital Archives to see what's available before making a trip.

These historical case files are stored on microfilm (MFL 56) and span 3 cubic feet of records. They can contain the original divorce application, summons, affidavit of publication, the divorce decree, statements from both parties, and proceedings notes. Many files are written in both Hawaiian and English, with some translated by court or Archives staff. Pre-1890 cases for the Hamakua, Hilo, and Puna districts are in Series 015, while 1890-1899 cases for those districts moved to Series 017 under the Fourth Circuit. The Archives genealogy research guide for divorce case files explains the series organization and how to find specific records.

Getting Copies of Hawaii County Divorce Records

You can request copies of Hawaii County divorce records by mail or in person at either courthouse. Mail requests go to the Third Circuit Family Division at Hale Kaulike, 777 Kilauea Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720. Your written request should include the full names of both parties, the approximate filing date, and the case number if you have it. Attach a copy of a government-issued photo ID and include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Payment must be by money order or cashier's check made out to "State Director of Finance." Do not send cash through the mail.

Processing takes 3 to 10 business days once the court receives your request. Add 3 to 5 more business days for delivery. Standard copies cost $1.00 per page. Certified copies cost $2.00 for the certification plus $1.00 per page. If you need a certified copy of an older divorce certificate issued between July 1951 and December 2002, the Department of Health used to handle those. As of February 1, 2026, DOH stopped issuing divorce certificates entirely. For records from that era, contact the Third Circuit directly.

For vital records needs that DOH still handles, you can check the Hawaii Department of Health Vital Records office or apply through the online vital records portal. For divorce-specific records, though, the Third Circuit Family Court is now the main source.

Hawaii County Divorce Filing Process

Hawaii County residents file for divorce through the Third Circuit Family Court. You can file at either the Hilo or Kona courthouse depending on where you live or which location is more convenient. The court provides self-help resources and forms through the Hawaii Judiciary Self-Help Center divorce page. Fillable forms are also available through the Third Circuit Family Court forms library.

Under Hawaii Revised Statutes 580-1, there is no minimum residency period to file for divorce in Hawaii. Act 69 of 2021 eliminated the old six-month requirement. You just need to be domiciled in Hawaii at the time of filing. HRS 580-41 sets out the grounds for divorce. Hawaii is a no-fault state, so the most common ground is that the marriage is irretrievably broken. Other grounds include living separately for two or more years, or having a separate maintenance order in place for two or more years without reconciliation.

When you file, an Automatic Temporary Restraining Order goes into effect under HRS 580-10.5. This order kicks in automatically on filing and applies to both parties. It prohibits either spouse from transferring or hiding assets, changing insurance coverage, or relocating children without consent. You don't need to ask for it. It just happens as part of filing.

Filing fees are $215 for divorces without minor children and $265 for cases involving children. The higher fee includes a $50 parent education surcharge. If your case involves children, the court requires completion of a parenting education program. Kids First Hawaii offers court-approved classes for parents going through divorce on the Big Island.

What Hawaii County Divorce Records Show

A typical Third Circuit divorce case file contains the divorce petition, summons, proof of service, financial disclosures, any parenting plan, and the final divorce decree. Historical records, especially those from the 19th century held by the State Archives, also include affidavits of publication, statements from each spouse, and notes on divorce proceedings. For cases involving children, the file may include custody evaluations and parenting plans, though some of those documents may be sealed or restricted from public view.

Basic case information is publicly accessible. That means case numbers, party names, filing dates, and the procedural history of the case. Court dates, judge assignments, and whether a decree was issued are all part of the public record. What gets restricted or redacted includes detailed financial disclosures, custody evaluation reports, and any documents the court has specifically sealed by order.

Property division in Hawaii County divorce cases follows the rules in HRS 580-47, which uses an "economic partnership" model. The court considers 13 statutory factors when dividing marital property. This approach treats the marriage as a shared financial enterprise and tries to divide assets equitably, though not always equally. Records of property settlements and decree terms are generally public unless sealed by a judge.

Who can get certified copies of divorce records is slightly narrower than who can view public case information. Certified copies go to the divorced parties themselves, immediate family members with a direct interest, legal representatives, people with a court order, and government agencies acting in official capacities. This follows Hawaii Administrative Rules 8-1-2.1. If you're not one of those, you can still view basic case information through eCourt Kokua or at the courthouse terminals.

The Hawaii State Judiciary's online records system makes it easier to look up Third Circuit divorce cases without traveling to the Big Island. The portal covers cases across all Hawaii circuits and is regularly updated with new filings and case activity.

You can access the eCourt Kokua case search tool from any internet-connected device. The system works for both recent and older digitized cases. For very old cases that predate electronic records, you'll need to contact the courthouse directly or visit in person.

Legal and Self-Help Resources in Hawaii County

The Legal Aid Society of Hawaii provides free legal help to qualifying residents on the Big Island. If you can't afford an attorney and meet the income guidelines, Legal Aid can assist with divorce paperwork, court filings, and related family law matters. Their staff works with clients on the neighbor islands, including Hawaii County.

The Third Circuit Family Court also has self-help resources available at both courthouse locations. Staff at the Legal Documents Section in Hilo can point you to the right forms and explain the filing process, though they cannot give legal advice. The Law Libraries at Hale Kaulike and Keahuolu hold legal reference materials and have staff who can help you find statutes and forms.

The University of Hawaii at Manoa's law library maintains a Hawaii courts research guide that covers the structure of the state court system, how to find case law, and where to locate statutes. It's a solid reference if you want to understand the legal framework around divorce in Hawaii before heading to court. The guide covers Third Circuit resources specifically and links to key databases available to the public.

Cities in Hawaii County

Hawaii County covers the entire Big Island, which is the largest island in the state by land area. One city in the county meets the population threshold for its own divorce records page.

• Hilo - County seat and home to Hale Kaulike, the main Third Circuit Family Court building

Other communities on the Big Island, including Kailua-Kona, Waimea, and Pahoa, do not have separate pages. Residents in those areas file through the Third Circuit at either Hilo or Kona depending on location.

Other Hawaii Counties

Hawaii has four other counties, each with its own circuit court handling divorce records. If you need records from another island, the links below take you to those county pages.

• Honolulu County - Oahu, First Circuit, largest county in the state
• Maui County - Maui, Molokai, and Lanai, Second Circuit
• Kauai County - Kauai and Niihau, Fifth Circuit
• Kalawao County - Smallest county in the US, administered under Maui County courts