WAILUKU, HI – The Maui Self-Help Center will reopen for free in-person legal consultations on Thursday, August 28, at Hoapili Hale, the courthouse at 2145 Main Street in Wailuku.

In-person assistance will be available on a first-come, first-served, walk-in basis from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month. No appointments will be accepted.

Phone-based assistance for residents of Maui, Moloka‘i, and Lāna‘i will continue during the same hours on other Mondays and Thursdays, depending on volunteer attorney availability, by calling 808-909-2841.

The center, which first opened in October 2012, shifted to phone-only services in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, it has continued to serve the community remotely while preparing to restore in-person support. To date, the Maui Self-Help Center has provided nearly 7,900 consultations. Statewide, self-help centers on Maui, Kaua‘i, Hawai‘i Island, and the Access to Justice Room in Honolulu collectively surpassed 40,000 free legal consultations in June 2025, marking a significant milestone in expanding access to justice across the islands.

Volunteer attorneys from the Maui County Bar Association, along with Legal Aid Society of Hawai‘i staff and volunteers, provide limited legal information to help self-represented litigants with civil legal matters in District and Family Court. This includes help with landlord-tenant disputes, small claims, debt collection, temporary restraining orders, divorce, custody, contract disputes, and more. Volunteers also assist community members in locating and completing court forms, reviewing documents, and answering questions about court procedures.

“Access to justice is a cornerstone of our mission,” said Hawai‘i Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald. “The reopening of the Maui Self-Help Center for in-person services represents an important step forward in supporting residents of Maui County as they navigate the legal system. We are grateful to the volunteer attorneys, Legal Aid Society of Hawai‘i, and our bar associations for their steadfast commitment to ensuring that all who come to court have meaningful access to justice.”

Retired Second Circuit Court Chief Judge Joseph Cardoza, who now serves as chair of the Hawai‘i Access to Justice Commission, also welcomed the return of in-person consultations. “The Maui Self-Help Center is a shining example of what can be accomplished when the Judiciary, Legal Aid, the bar, and the community work together. It is heartening to see in-person services return, giving residents an invaluable resource as they deal with some of life’s most difficult challenges,” Cardoza said.

K. U‘ilani Goods, Managing Attorney for the Legal Aid Society of Hawai‘i, Maui Branch, added, “We are so excited for the return of in-person services at the Maui Self-Help Center. The reopening is a reflection of the collaboration of partners dedicated to providing access to justice for all. Face-to-face guidance and legal information to assist pro se litigants navigating the court process is a significant access to justice initiative for Maui County residents.”

The Maui Self-Help Center is a partnership between the Hawai‘i State Judiciary, the Legal Aid Society of Hawai‘i, the Hawai‘i State Bar Association, the Maui County Bar Association, and the Hawai‘i Access to Justice Commission.

The Judiciary extends its appreciation to the attorney volunteers who support the center, including the attorneys at Horovitz Tilley LLLC, who will staff the first day of in-person services, and to the dedicated core of remote volunteers—including Brian Bilberry, Brianne Wong Leong, Caroline Peters Belsom, Danielle Sears, David Raatz, Frank Loyd Jr., Gina Gormley, Joanne Hicks, Kau‘i Yamane, Krystal Myge, Lance Hevizy, Leslee Matthews, Magdalena Bajon, Marcus Sierra, and Wendy Hudson—whose continued service has been vital in assisting the Maui community.

Attorneys interested in volunteering at the Maui Self-Help Center are encouraged to contact Tiane Inciong at tiane.inciong@legalaidhawaii.org or their local bar association president.