Find Civil Court Records in Hilo
Hilo Civil Court Records run through the Third Judicial Circuit, the main court system for the Big Island. All Hilo cases land at Hale Kaulike, 777 Kilauea Avenue, home to the Third Circuit Court and the Hilo District Court under one roof. You can search Hilo Civil Court Records online through eCourt Kokua, walk into the Legal Documents Branch at Hale Kaulike, or call the clerk for a copy. This page shows how to look up civil cases, court records, and Hilo case files fast.
Hilo Civil Court Records Overview
Where Hilo Civil Court Records Live
Hilo is the county seat of Hawaii County, the Big Island. All Hilo Civil Court Records sit with the Third Judicial Circuit. The main Big Island courthouse is Hale Kaulike at 777 Kilauea Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720. This single building holds both the Third Circuit Court and the Hilo District Court, so most Hilo civil cases flow through one address.
The Third Circuit Court takes civil suits over forty thousand dollars, probate, guardianship, and appeals from district court. The Hilo District Court takes civil suits under forty thousand dollars and small claims under five thousand. Small claims procedures stay simple, with no formal transcript, and appeals run de novo to District Court.
Hawaii County covers the whole Big Island, so Hilo Civil Court Records may involve parties from Puna, Kau, Hamakua, or Kona. The Third Circuit also runs a Kona branch at Keahuoluu Courthouse and a small South Kohala District Court at Waimea. But the main civil filing point for east-side cases stays in Hilo.
The Hawaii court locations page lists Hale Kaulike with address, phone, and hours, plus every other Third Circuit site.
Note: Hilo Civil Court Records filed before 1943 may be at the Hawaii State Archives, not the Hilo clerk's office.
How to Search Hilo Civil Court Records Online
eCourt Kokua is the main online tool for Hilo Civil Court Records. The portal covers circuit, district, family, and appellate filings across all four judicial circuits. Start at eCourt Kokua. You can search by party name, case number, or attorney. Results show hearing dates, docket entries, and filing summaries. Browsing a Hilo case is free. Buying a document runs three dollars for up to thirty pages, ten cents per page after that.
Hilo attorneys and parties can e-file through JEFS. The e-filing system works for most civil case types in the Third Circuit.
A Hilo search tends to hit the right file fastest when you have:
- The full name of at least one party
- A rough filing year
- The Hilo case number if you already have it
- The court type, Third Circuit or District
Third-party guides also cover Hilo case files. The page at hawaiicourtrecords.us/hawaii walks Hilo users through case types, local fees, and tips for Hale Kaulike clerks. The broader site at hawaiicourtrecords.us find civil court records gives a statewide view.
The UH Manoa library keeps a Hawaii courts research guide at manoa.hawaii.edu courts guide. Hilo residents doing self-help research lean on this page often.
Hale Kaulike Courthouse Info for Hilo
Hale Kaulike is the one-stop Hilo civil court building. It is a modern judicial complex on Kilauea Avenue across from downtown Hilo.
The Third Circuit Court in Hilo sits at Hale Kaulike, 777 Kilauea Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720. The main phone for Circuit Court is 808-961-7440. The Legal Documents Branch can be reached at 808-961-7400. The fax line for records requests is 808-961-7493. Staff answer email at hilolegaldocs.3cc@courts.hawaii.gov. In-person service runs 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except state holidays.
The Hilo District Court shares the same address. Its main phone is 808-961-7470. District Court takes most small Hilo civil matters, traffic, and small claims. The East Hawaii Children's Justice Center, a related family service site, sits nearby at 1290 Kinoole Street, Hilo, HI 96720, phone 808-933-1605.
The Third Circuit Court Law Library - Hilo is also in Hale Kaulike. Hours run Monday through Friday, 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The law library is free for the public and offers help with Hilo legal research.
| Court | Address |
|---|---|
| Third Circuit Court (Hilo) | Hale Kaulike, 777 Kilauea Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720 |
| Hilo District Court | Hale Kaulike, 777 Kilauea Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720 |
| East Hawaii Children's Justice Center | 1290 Kinoole Street, Hilo, HI 96720 |
Public Access Terminals in Hilo
Hilo Civil Court Records are available through free public access terminals at Hale Kaulike. The terminals pull from the same JIMS system as eCourt Kokua. No paid account is needed for Hilo residents at the courthouse.
Hilo's terminals sit inside the Legal Documents Branch at Hale Kaulike. Terminal hours run with the courthouse workday. Staff can help you start a search but cannot give legal advice. Bring a USB drive to save a Hilo record, or pay the per-page copy fee for a printout.
The Hawaii Judiciary public access terminals page lists every Big Island site. Kona also has a terminal at the Keakealani Building in Kealakekua if you cannot reach Hilo.
Fees for Hilo Civil Court Records
Copy fees for Hilo Civil Court Records follow the Hawaii Rules of the Circuit Courts. Plain copies at the Hale Kaulike counter cost one dollar for the first page, fifty cents per extra page. A certified stamp adds five dollars. Fax service within Hawaii runs two dollars for the first page, one dollar per page after. Mainland fax jumps to five dollars first page, two per page.
eCourt Kokua charges three dollars per Hilo civil file up to thirty pages, then ten cents per extra page. Heavy users can buy a quarter or yearly pass.
Filing fees for new Hilo civil cases vary by case type. Small claims are the cheapest. Circuit Court filings carry higher fees. Low-income Hilo filers can ask for an in forma pauperis fee waiver at the clerk's counter.
Rules on Hilo Civil Court Records Access
Access to Hilo Civil Court Records follows the Uniform Information Practices Act, Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 92F. UIPA keeps public records open unless sealed by law. Court-specific rules come from the Hawaii Court Records Rules, mainly Rule 10.
Most Hilo civil filings stay public. Sealed Hilo categories include juvenile records, some mental health cases, and adoption. The clerk may ask for ID and contact info under Rule 10.7 before handing over a paper Hilo file.
The Office of Information Practices handles appeals if a Hilo clerk denies access. Hilo residents can file a UIPA request and let OIP review the call. Most reviews close in a few weeks.
Legal Aid and Self-Help in Hilo
The Legal Aid Society of Hawaii runs a Hilo office for low-income Big Island clients. Volunteer Legal Services Hawaii places volunteer attorneys on short-term family and civil cases. The Hawaii State Bar Association runs a lawyer referral line for paid consults.
The Hawaii State Law Library System keeps a Hilo branch at 777 Kilauea Avenue, 1st Floor, Hilo, HI 96720, phone 808-961-7438. The library is free for self-help research and has a law librarian on staff to help Hilo residents find case reporters, court rules, and treatises on civil procedure.
Note: The Hilo law library cannot give legal advice but can point you to the right Hilo form, statute, or research tool.
Nearby Big Island Cities
Hilo is the only Big Island city with a dedicated page in our directory. Other Hawaii County communities route civil cases to Third Circuit satellite courts.
Kailua-Kona on the west side uses the Keahuoluu Courthouse at 74-5451 Kamaka'eha Avenue, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740. Waimea, up in the Kohala mountains, uses the South Kohala District Court at the Waimea Civic Center, 67-5187 Kamamalu Street, Kamuela, HI 96743. Both sites report to the same Third Circuit as Hilo.
Hilo Civil Court Records County
Hilo sits inside Hawaii County. For a full county view of civil filings, see the Hawaii County Civil Court Records page.