Hawaii Judgments & Liens Search

In Hawaii, money judgments come from the district and circuit courts. A judgment becomes a lien on real property when a copy certified by the court clerk is recorded at the state Bureau of Conveyances, which records land documents for every island. UCC financing statements are also filed with the Bureau of Conveyances.

Always confirm the official record by ordering a certified copy from the originating office when accuracy matters for closing, refinancing, or litigation.

eCourt Kōkua, from the Hawaii State Judiciary, shows public information from District Court and Circuit Court civil cases, Land Court, Tax Appeal Court and appeals, among others. Certified copies of court records are available in paper form at each courthouse.

• Search Court RecordsWhat eCourt Kōkua covers
• eCourt KōkuaHawaii State Judiciary case search
• Hawaii court records guideCourts and clerks in Hawaii on PublicRecordCenter

A money judgment of a Hawaii state court or the federal district court in Hawaii becomes a lien on real property when a copy certified by the court clerk is recorded at the Bureau of Conveyances; registered land follows the Land Court rules (HRS 636-3). The judgment must show the debtor's Hawaii tax ID, federal employer ID or the last four digits of the Social Security number, or come with a certificate that the number is not available. A mechanics lien starts with an Application for a Lien filed in the circuit court where the property is, no later than 45 days after the date of completion (HRS 507-43).

• HRS 636-3Judgment liens recorded at the Bureau of Conveyances
• HRS 507-43Application for a mechanics lien, 45 day limit

UCC financing statements are filed with the Bureau of Conveyances in the Department of Land and Natural Resources, which posts the current UCC forms. Fixture filings go with the land records at the same office.

• Bureau of Conveyances, UCC formsCurrent Hawaii UCC forms
• Bureau of ConveyancesHawaii's statewide recording office

A judgment lien lasts no longer than the judgment itself (HRS 636-3). A Hawaii judgment is presumed paid 10 years after it was rendered unless it is extended; the extension must be asked for by motion within those 10 years, and no judgment can be extended past 20 years from the original date (HRS 657-5). Once the judgment is paid, the creditor must give the debtor a satisfaction, which can be recorded at the Bureau.

• HRS 657-510 years, extension up to 20 years

Hawaii's tool is the examination of judgment debtors under HRS 636-4. A judgment creditor applies to the court, which may issue orders, summons or subpoenas requiring the judgment debtor, and any other person with knowledge of the debtor's affairs, to be examined orally under oath before a judge as to any and what property the debtor owns or has an interest in and what debts are owed to the debtor, and to produce books and documents. Garnishment then follows under the garnishment chapter.

Before the examination, the court files often hold the answers. A Hawaii divorce file is open except for the few documents sealed under Family Court Rule 7.2(a), so the Income and Expense Statement and the Asset and Debt Statement, which name the employer and list assets and debts, can be read and bought through eCourt Kokua for filings since April 25, 2022 or at the family court for older cases. A bankruptcy file in the District of Hawaii lists deposit accounts by institution and the employer by name. The Hawaii asset search page covers both.

• HRS 636-4, examination of judgment debtorsThe statute text and what the debtor must answer

The Hawaii State Judiciary's self-help pages cover small claims, court forms and the self-help centers at the courthouses.

• Hawaii Judiciary self-helpCourt forms, small claims and self-help centers

• PACER, federal court recordsFederal district, bankruptcy and appeals case files
• IRS, federal tax liensWhat a federal tax lien is and how it is released