More Info About Family Court at Kapolei

It has been about a month since the First Circuit Family Court moved into its new home at 4675 Kapolei Parkway and things are finally settling down.  Boxes are unpacked, employees have settled in, and attorneys and other users appear to be finding their way around the building without too much trouble.  Nevertheless, this additional information is being provided with the hope that court users will find it helpful.

Courtrooms and Waiting Areas

In general, cases handled by the Juvenile Division, or FC-J and FC-S cases, will be heard on the second floor. Domestic Division (divorce) and Special Division (paternity, restraining orders, guardianships, adoptions and FC-M or miscellaneous) cases will be on the third floor.  There is a bailiff station on each floor.

The courtroom assignments are:

Courtroom	Judge or Division
2A	Specialty Courts
2D	Judge Uale
2E	Judge Browning
2F	Judge Kuriyama
3A	Judge McKenna (for the Special, Domestic and Juvenile Divisions)
3A	Specialty Courts
3B	Judge Luke
3C	Judge Ching
3D	Judge Murakami
3F	Judge Broderick

After checking in at the bailiff station, participants waiting for their case to be called should wait in the area in front of the courtroom in which their case will be heard.  There are several benches conveniently situated for the public’s use.

Restraining Order petitioners will be directed to wait at the end of the hallway in front of Courtroom  3F.  Respondents will be directed to wait at the opposite end.

Restraining Order petitioners involved in a juvenile case will be directed to wait in front of Courtroom 2F while respondents will be directed to wait at the opposite end of the hall.

The new telephone numbers are:

Family Court (O`ahu First Circuit)	Phone Number
Main line	954-8000
Bailiffs	954-8085
Customer Service Center	954-8290
TRO Hotline	954-8090
Kids First	954-8280
Kids First Hotline	954-8281
Legal Research	954-8144
Adoption Records	954-8145
Detention Facility	954-8400
Ala Kuola	545-1880 (Honolulu TROs available every day)
Judges
Broderick, Michael F.	954-8013
Browning, Mark R.	954-8006
Ching, Jennifer L.	954-8141
Kuriyama, Christine E.	954-8100
Luke, Linda K.C.	954-8010
McKenna, Sabrina S.	954-8030
Murakami, Paul T.	954-8004
Uale, Bode A.	954-8088

Document Filing and Storage

All pleadings and motions requiring hearing dates or needing prior review by a judge will be handled at the Kapolei Court Complex.   Pleadings and motions presented for filing at Kaahumanu Hale, which require a hearing date or judge's signature, will be lodged as "Received" and transported to the Kapolei Court Complex for review and processing.  Filed copies of documents can be picked up at Kapolei, placed in the attorney’s court jacket at Kapolei, or returned to a party via mail if the party provides a self-addressed, self-stamped envelope.

Documents not needing hearing dates or a judge’s review can be filed at Kaahumanu Hale or Kapolei.

All Family Court files initiated from 2009 will be stored at Kapolei. Requests to view Family Court files may be submitted at either Kaahumanu Hale or the Kapolei Court Complex.  All other files needed at Kapolei must be couriered to Kapolei.

Kids First

The filing party in a divorce case or in a contested paternity case has the option of determining where the children and the childrens’ parent will attend Kids First, the First Circuit Family Court’s mandatory education program. Either party may request a different date as families are not required to attend the program together.

The program is being held at Kaahumanu Hale on the first, third and fifth Wednesday of each month and on the second and fourth Wednesday at Kapolei Court Complex.

Note the new time for the program:  Registration begins at 5:00 p.m. and the program runs from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The telephone numbers are 954-8280 or 954-8281.

Customer Service Centers

The Kapolei Court Complex has a customer service counter located directly across the building’s main entrance on the first floor where Family Court litigants may pick up forms, instructions and obtain assistance. Users will also be able to obtain directions to, and information about, other Judiciary offices and programs.  The telephone number is 954-8290.

The Family Court Service Center at Kaahumanu Hale is being maintained at a new location. Assistance with Family Court forms is being provided from the Court Concierge Desk on the first floor.   The telephone numbers are 537-4767 and 539-4670.

Wireless Access

The waiting areas on the second, third and fourth floors have wireless connectivity for public use.

Online Forms

The First Circuit Family Court forms on the Judiciary’s Internet website have been revised to reflect the new phone numbers and address of the Kapolei Court Complex.