Since the inception of the Kapolei Access to Justice Room (KAJR) in 2012, attorneys have provided over 3,090 free consultations, assisting thousands of O‘ahu residents with essential legal information on family law matters. Due to the pandemic, all services were held remotely. Since March, KAJR has operated as a hybrid service model, offering both in-person and Zoom consultations with attorneys who provide free limited legal advice to the public through scheduled appointments. The KAJR is facilitated by the Hawai‘i Supreme Court Law Library and is a partnership between the Hawaiʻi State Judiciary and the Family Law Section of the Hawaii State Bar Association. This year the KAJR also started to assist clients in collaboration with Spanish, Tagalog, Chuukese, Japanese, Portuguese, Korean, and Chinese language interpreters.

Attorneys and Judiciary staff who provided operational support for the Kapolei Access to Justice Room in 2024 include, from left: Jenny Silbiger, Richard Diehl, Ellen Politano, Andrea Graf, Sara Jo Buehler, Lynnae Lee, Dyan Mitsuyama, Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald, Judge Dyan Medeiros, Nakoa Gabriel, Alex Mitchel, James Rooney, Alan Okamoto, Shannon Hackett, Gemma-Rose Poland Soon, Amber Alualu, Marlene Cuenco, and Angela Min.

Supporters of the Honolulu District Court Access to Justice Room in 2024 include, front row, from left: Jenny Silbiger, Christilei Hessler, Louise Ing, Skyler Chun, Judge Melanie May, Becky Gardner, Lloyd Lim, Judge Steven Nichols, and Angela Min. Second row: Mark Murakami, David “Kauila” Kopper, Tiane Incoing, Sam King, Hollie Rader, Kenneth Go, Kukui Claydon, Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald, James Rooney, Mike Goodman, James Bickerton, David Plona, Skylar Lucas, Judge Micah Smith, Sergio Alcubilla, and Bradley Tamm.

The Honolulu Access to Justice Room (Honolulu AJR), also established in 2012, has provided 9,966 free consultations to date and is projected to surpass 10,000 consultations by the end of the year. Like KAJR, Honolulu AJR transitioned from in person to remote services due to the pandemic in March 2020. Honolulu AJR operates through a partnership between the Legal Aid Society of Hawai‘i, the Hawaii State Judiciary, and the Hawaii State Bar Association. Legal Aid works with AmeriCorps members, who manage intake and pair clients with volunteer attorneys. These attorneys provide free limited legal information on district court civil matters.

Since the Access to Justice Rooms and Self-Help Centers across the islands began in October 2011, individual attorneys, law firms, and professional legal associations in Hawai‘i have collectively helped nearly 39,000 people with free legal consultation to many who cannot afford legal representation.

Attorneys interested in volunteering at a self-help center, or seeking other pro bono opportunities, are invited to visit the Hawaiʻi Access to Justice Commission website, and click the menu item “How to Help.”

Visit the Hawaiʻi State Judiciary website for more information on the courthouse self-help centers.