While the system is highly comprehensive, certain records are restricted by law to protect privacy. The following types of records are generally not available for public search on eCourt Kōkua: * Juvenile court cases * Adoption records * Family Court criminal cases * Guardianship cases * Cases that have been sealed or expunged by court order ## How to Access the eCourt Kōkua Portal To begin your search, visit the official website of the Hawaii State Judiciary. From the homepage, navigate to the "Self-Help" or "eServices" section and select **eCourt Kōkua**.
You can access the system as a public user. While registration is not required for basic searches, frequent users or legal professionals can create a registered account to manage subscriptions and purchase document copies more easily. ## Step-by-Step: Searching for Hawaii Court Records Once you access the eCourt Kōkua login page, select the option to enter the system as a guest or log in with your credentials. You can then search for records using several different criteria. ### Searching by Party Name
If you do not have a case number, searching by the name of an individual or business is the most common method. 1. Select the **Party Name** search tab. 2. Enter the last name and first name of the individual, or the full name of the business. 3. To narrow down your results, you can enter additional information such as a middle name or birth year if prompted. 4. Click "Search" to generate a list of matching cases. ### Searching by Case Number If you already know the specific case number, this is the fastest and most accurate way to locate a record.
1. Select the **Case Number** search tab. 2. Enter the case ID exactly as it appears on official paperwork (e.g., 1DTC-23-00000). Hawaii case numbers typically include codes that indicate the circuit, court type, year, and case sequence. 3. Click "Search" to go directly to the case file. ### Using Advanced Search Filters If a name search returns too many results, you can use advanced filters to narrow the list. eCourt Kōkua allows you to filter search results by: * **Filing Date Range:** Limit results to cases filed within a specific timeframe. * **Case Type:** Filter by traffic, criminal, civil, or domestic cases. * **Jurisdiction/Circuit:** Limit the search to a specific island or circuit court (e.g., First Circuit for Oahu, Second Circuit for Maui County).
## Accessing Documents and Understanding Fees Searching for cases and viewing the basic docket sheet on eCourt Kōkua is free of charge. The free search results will show you: * The names of the parties involved (plaintiffs, defendants, attorneys) * The judge assigned to the case * A chronological list of docket entries (filing dates and document titles) * The status of the case (active, closed, dismissed) However, if you need to view, download, or print the actual PDF images of the court documents (such as complaints, motions, or judgments), the Hawaii State Judiciary charges a fee. You can purchase individual document pages or buy a temporary subscription that allows unlimited document downloads for a specified period. Payments can be made online using a credit card.
## Tips for Troubleshooting Your Search If your search does not yield any results, consider the following troubleshooting steps: * **Check Spelling and Name Variations:** Try searching using only the first few letters of the last name followed by an asterisk (*) as a wildcard. This is helpful if the name has a unique spelling or was misspelled in the court database. * **Verify the Case Date:** eCourt Kōkua contains electronic records from recent decades. If you are looking for historical records (generally prior to the late 1990s), they may not be digitized. You may need to contact the clerk of the specific court where the case was filed to request a manual record search. * **Confirm the Jurisdiction:** Ensure the case was actually filed in a Hawaii state court. Federal cases involving Hawaii residents are not listed in eCourt Kōkua; instead, they must be accessed through the federal PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) system.
