Ka'analike manao on Law in Hawai'i

He 'onipa'a ka 'oia'i'o
 (Truth is not changeable)
--Mary Kawena Pukui,  'Olelo No'eau: Hawaiian Proverbs & Poetical Sayings number
863

Home
Agriculture
Arts
Business
Census

Courts
Education
Environment
Family
Children
Teenagers
Adults
Elderly
Health & Medicine
History
Law
Military
Natural Disasters
Politics-Policy
Real Estate
Recreation
Contact

State of Hawai'i 

Hawaii State Legislature establishes our laws and creates services that benefit the people of Hawaii. 
Contact Information
Legislative Directories
House Chief Clerk 
(808)586-6400
Senate Chief Clerk 
(808) 586-6720
Hawaii State Capitol
415 South Beretania Street
Honolulu, HI 96813

  • The Constitution of the State of Hawaii is housed in the Hawaii Legislative Reference Bureau section.
  • Public Access Room serves the citizens of Hawai`i by providing facilities, services and equipment to enhance their ability to participate in the legislative process.
    Contact Information
    (808) 587-0478
    415 So Beretania St, Room 401
    Honolulu, HI 96813
    par@capital.hawaii.gov

Hawaii State Judiciary interprets the laws and maintains a statewide system of justice and is responsible for administering justice.
Contact Information
Administrative Offices of the Courts
Courts of Appeals
O'ahu - First Judicial Circuit
Maui - Second Judicial Circuit
Hawai'i - Third Judicial Circuit
Kaua'i - Fifth Judicial Circuit

Department of Public Safety provides for the safety of the public and state facilities through law enforcement and correctional management.
Contact Information
(808) 587-1350
919 Ala Moana Boulevard
Honolulu, HI 96814
michael.r.gaede@hawaii.gov

Department of the Attorney General provides legal and other services to the State, including the agencies, officers, and employees of the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches of Hawaii government.
Contact Information
(808) 586-1500
425 Queen Street
Honolulu, HI 96813
hawaiiag@hawaii.gov

  • Crime Prevention and Justice Assistance Division Research & Statistics Branch is Hawaii's primary source of criminological data and other objective information on the nature and extent of crime in Hawaii.
    Contact Information
    (808) 586-1150
    235 South Beretania Street, Suite 401
    Honolulu, HI 96813
  • Crime Prevention and Justice Assistance Division Community & Crime Prevention is responsible for the planning and implementation of informational and educational workshops and activities focused on community crime prevention.
    Contact Information
    (808) 586-1150
    235 South Beretania Street, Suite 401
    Honolulu, HI 96813

Hawai'i Civil Rights Commission receives, investigates, conciliates, and adjudicates complaints of discrimination; whether in employment, housing, public accommodations, and access to state and state-funded services.
Contact Information
(808) 586-8636
830 Punchbowl Street, Room 411
Honolulu, HI 96813
info@hicrc.org

Office of the Ombudsman is an officer of the legislature who investigates complaints about actions of executive branch agencies of the state and county governments. 
Contact Information
(808) 587-0770
465 South King Street, 4th Floor
Honolulu, HI  96813
complaints@ombudsman.state.hi.us

Government in the State: Hawaii's Laws include 

University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law is dedicated to providing excellence in legal education and scholarship and to promoting justice, ethical responsibility and public service placing  emphasis on environmental law, native Hawaiian rights, ocean law, and Pacific and Asian Legal Studies.
Contact Information
(808) 956-7966
2515 Dole Street
Honolulu, HI 96822
lawadm@hawaii.edu

Local Counties

City and County of Honolulu Ethics Commission advances the standards of ethical conduct in government in the Revised Charter and the Revised Ordinances of Honolulu. 
Contact Information
(808) 527-5573
715 South King Street, Suite 211
Honolulu, HI 96813-3091
ethics@honolulu.gov

Honolulu Police Department serves and protects with aloha, consists of eight patrol districts.
Contact Information
(808) 529-3162
801 South Beretania Street
Honolulu, HI 96813
hpd@honolulupd.org

Honolulu City and County Prosecuting Attorney shall attend all courts in the city and conduct, all prosecutions therein for offenses against the laws of the state and the ordinances and rules and regulations of the city.
Contact Information
(808) 523-4511
1060 Richards Street
Honolulu, HI 96813

Hawaii County Corporation Council acts as the legal advisor and representative of all County agencies and departments.
Contact Information
(808) 961-8251
101 Aupuni St. Suite 325 
Hilo, HI 96720
cohdcs@co.hawaii.hi.us

The Hawaii County Police Department is the Big Island's primary law enforcement agency.
Contact Information
(808) 935-3311
349 Kapiolani Street
Hilo, HI 96720
copsysop@ilhawaii.net

The Office of the Prosecuting Attorney is the legal agency responsible for the prosecution of all criminal offenses occurring on the Big Island of Hawaii and represents the people of this community before the courts of Hawaii.
Contact Information
(808) 961-0466
34 Rainbow Drive
Hilo, HI 96720
hilopros@co.hawaii.hi.us

Maui County Department of Housing and Human Concerns supports and enhances the social well-being of the citizens of Maui County.
Contact Information
(808) 270-7805
200 South High Street
Wailuku, HI 96793
director.hhc@co.maui.hi.us

Maui County Corporation Counsel supports the County government by providing legal advice and representation that promotes the public interest.
Contact Information
(808) 270-7740
200 South High Street
Wailuku, HI 96793
corpcoun@co.maui.hi.us

Maui County Police Department will protect lives and property and preserve the public peace by enforcing laws and regulations within carefully prescribed ethical and constitutional restrictions.
Contact Information
Non-emergency calls (808) 244-6400
crs@co.maui.hi.us

Kauai County Office of the County Attorney represents the county in all legal proceedings and performs all other services.
Contact Information
(808) 241-6315
4444 Rice Street
Lihue, HI 96766

Kauai County Police Department will protect lives and property and preserve the public peace by enforcing laws and regulations within carefully prescribed ethical and constitutional restrictions.
Contact Information
(808) 241-1601
3990 Kaana Street, Suite 200
Lihue, HI 96766-1268

Federal/National Agencies

PowerReporting on Law is edited by Bill Dedman, a correspondent for The Boston Globe.

FirstGov Public Safety and Law is the official U.S. gateway connecting the world to all U.S. government information and services.
Contact Information
1 (800) FED INFO (1-800-333-4636)
U.S. General Services Administration
1800 F Street, NW, Washington, DC 20405
FirstGov  

Law Library of Congress includes the Constitution, Executive, Judiciary,  Legislative and Legal Guides for the State of Hawaii.

The Internet Law Library was originally provided as part of the Counsel's mission to make the law (particularly the U.S. Code) available to the public. The Law Revision Counsel's goal was to provide free public access to the basic documents of US law.

Legal Information Institute Hawaii Legal Materials is known internationally as a leading “law-not-com” provider of public legal information, offering all opinions of the United States Supreme Court handed down since 1992.

Non- Profit Organizations

The Hawaii State Bar Association was given the power and responsibility to aid the Hawaii Supreme Court in regulating, maintaining, and improving the legal profession to unite and inspire Hawaii's lawyers to promote justice, serve the public, and improve the legal profession.
Contact Information
(808) 537-1868
1132 Bishop Street, Suite 906
Hoolulu, HI 96813
lshiraishi@hsba.org

About this project, prepared by Diane Nakashima for the University of Hawaii at Manoa Communications Program, May 2005. If you have any questions or comments, please contact Diane. These links may become out-of-date before an opportunity to update. Revised 06/07/07.