Located in the State of Hawaii, Maui County has a total area of 2,398 square miles, comprising 51% water. It was founded in 1905, and its county seat is Wailuku. As of the 2020 census, it had 164,754 residents.

Courts in Maui County

The Maui County court system comprises circuit, district, and family courts. The highest court in Maui County is the Maui Second Circuit Court. It holds jury trials and has general jurisdiction over criminal and civil cases in the county. It has exclusive jurisdiction in felonies, probate matters, and civil cases with more than $40,000 claims. It can also hear civil cases with claims between $10,000 and $40,000.

The Maui County Family Court hears juvenile matters such as juvenile delinquency, adoption, termination of parental rights, child abuse and neglect, and guardianship. It also hears domestic matters, including divorce, child support, paternity, child custody, requests for restraining orders involving family members, and felonies against family members.

The Maui County Second District Court hears municipal ordinance violations, traffic offenses, criminal offenses punishable by a maximum of one-year imprisonment, preliminary felony hearings, landlord/tenant relations, and civil cases with claims under $40,000. It is located in four locations in the county: Wailuku, Lahaina, Lanai, and Molokai.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Maui County

The clerks of courts maintain the public court records from their respective courts. These records are accessible to the public and consist of court filings, court orders, writs, transcripts, legal proceedings, and rulings of the county's courts. Hawaii provides access to Maui County public court records via the eCourt Kokua portal. Nonconfidential court records from all the courts in the county can be found on the platform. Alternatively, members of the public can visit the courts to access the public court records generated from those courts.

Types of Public Court Records in Maui County

The right of the public in Maui County to access certain court records is enshrined in the Hawaii Constitution and helps to assure them of the fairness of the judicial system. The following types of court records are available to the public in Maui County unless sealed by specific court orders:

• Criminal Court Records: includes court proceedings and court orders for felony and misdemeanor cases
• Family Court Records: includes divorce decrees, maintenance orders, and custody judgments
• Civil Court Records: includes  personal injury cases, professional malpractices, product liabilities, libel, breaches of contracts, trade secrets, slander, defamation of character, and employment disputes
• Probate Court Records: includes documentation  of wills, estates, trusts, and guardianships

Confidential Court Records in Maui County

Certain court records in Maui County are sealed under Hawaii law or by court orders to preserve privacy and protect sensitive information. Unlike public court documents, confidential court records can only be accessed by court orders or by authorized persons. The following are usually excluded from public records in Maui County:

• Most juvenile delinquency records
• Adoption records
• Substance abuse treatment records
• Sexually transmitted disease (STD) test results and treatment records
• Grand jury proceedings and records
• Sexual assault victim records
• Medical and mental health records
• Records of victims of domestic violence
• Identifying information about confidential informants in criminal prosecutions
• Misdemeanor or felony convictions after certain years

Part or all of a Maui County court record may also be sealed if it contains sensitive information such as:

• Social Security number
• Driver’s license number
• Bank account details
• Tax returns
• Intellectual property

Juvenile Delinquency in Maui, HI

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Maui County, juvenile delinquency issues are on the rise. There are many reasons for the rise in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in Hawaii often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of crimes, and other family matters.

In 2017, a total of 673 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Maui County. Of that total, 47% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 318 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.

A lot of counties, including, Maui County, are focusing on family therapy and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Maui County juvenile delinquency numbers will show whether or not this approach is working.

Government of Maui County, HI

https://hawaii.gov/

County Seat:	Wailuku
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Home Rule
Year Organized:	1905
Total Square Miles:	2,398
2019 Population:	166,260
Persons/Square Mile:	0.01
County Contact:	200 S High St Bldg Kalana O Maui Bldg Wailuku , HI 96793-2155 https://www.mauicounty.gov/

Maui County, HI Courts