HONOLULU — A Family Court employee at the Honolulu District Court has tested positive for COVID-19, the Hawaii State Judiciary announced today. This is the fourth confirmed positive case for Judiciary employees statewide.

Two Oahu Kapolei Family Court employees and a South Kohala District Court employee on Hawaii island previously tested positive.

The affected employee last worked on Thursday, got tested on Friday, and received a positive test result today. Employees with close prolonged contact with the affected individual have been identified and told not to go to work tomorrow. They have been advised to seek guidance from their medical providers and will return to work when medically appropriate to do so.

The Judiciary continues to confer with the Department of Health regarding any additional actions needed.

​The Honolulu District Courthouse will remain open and operations in the affected areas can resume after sanitizing and disinfecting is completed. All essential Family Court proceedings ​in the Honolulu District Court involving defendants being held at the Honolulu Police Department will be conducted as scheduled, though the courtroom location may change. Some non-essential Family Court hearings may need to be rescheduled.

Essential District Court proceedings, including TROs, felony cases, and custody criminal and criminal traffic cases will proceed as scheduled. Remote hearings for District Court cases will also proceed as scheduled. For more information, refer to Chief Judge R. Mark Browning’s August 10 fifth amended emergency order regarding First Circuit District Court matters.

The Judiciary has been limiting access to its facilities to those with official court business only. Last week Judge Browning issued an order increasing the number of proceedings to be conducted remotely by video conference or by telephone. This was done in response to the recent spike in COVID-19 cases on Oahu.

Face coverings are required, social distancing measures are in place, and increased cleaning of high traffic areas in the courthouse continue to be performed.

For the latest on the courts and COVID-19, visit the Judiciary’s information page.