Big Island Rural District Court Calendars to Change in October

In light of the shortage of sheriffs on the Big Island and the Sheriffs Office’s new requirement that unless two officers are available to staff a courthouse none will be provided, proceedings normally heard at the District Courts of North Kohala and Hamakua will be heard at the South Kohala District Court.  In addition, the Kau District Court calendar will move to the District Court courthouse in Kona.

The changes are effective October 1 and will be in place until further notice:

North Kohala District Court hearings to be heard at the South Kohala District Court on the fourth Wednesday of each month

• Traffic cases will be held at 8:30 a.m.
• Criminal cases will be held at 8:30 a.m.
• Civil cases will be held at 1:00 p.m.

Hamakua District Court hearings will be held at the South Kohala District Court on the first and third Thursday of each month

• Civil cases will be held at 8:30 a.m.
• Traffic cases will be held at 9:00 a.m.
• Criminal cases will be held at 10:00 a.m.
• Trials will be heard from 1:00 p.m.

Kau District Court hearings to be heard at the Kona District Court

• Traffic cases will be held at 8:30 a.m. every Monday and Thursday
• Criminal cases will be held at 1:00 p.m. every Monday and Thursday
• Civil cases will be held at 8:30 a.m. every Tuesday

“We realize consolidating court hearings that would have been held at five rural courthouses into two courts - South Kohala and Kona - will be an inconvenience to the North Kohala, Hamakua and Kau communities,” said Marsha Kitagawa, the Judiciary’s Public Affairs Officer.  “Unfortunately, we felt we had no other choice given the lack of manpower currently faced by the Sheriffs Office.”

“The safety of court users and employees is a priority and too many court proceedings are being held without adequate security in place,” she said.

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Media contact: Marsha Kitagawa, Public Affairs Office 539-4909