Kapolei Felony Records
Kapolei felony records are filed at the First Circuit Court in Honolulu and tracked statewide through the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center. Known as Oahu's "Second City," Kapolei is the largest community in West Oahu and a hub for county services on that side of the island. All felony cases from this area go through the same circuit court that handles all Honolulu County criminal matters. You can search those records online free with eCourt Kokua, or get a formal certified criminal history report through HCJDC using name-based or fingerprint-based searches at set fees.
Kapolei Overview
Kapolei Felony Records and the First Circuit Court
Kapolei is the main city of West Oahu, built as a planned second urban center for the island. The city sits within Honolulu County, and all felony cases involving Kapolei addresses or residents are processed at the First Circuit Court at 777 Punchbowl Street in Honolulu. Felony charges including first and second degree assault, drug offenses, theft in the first degree, robbery, and burglary all go through the circuit court system. Circuit court records for felony cases are retained for 75 years.
To search Kapolei felony records online, use eCourt Kokua, the Hawaii Judiciary's free public case search system. You can look up cases by name or case number. Results show the charges, current case status, court dates, and judge. You won't get the full case file this way, but you can verify whether a case exists and what stage it is in. To review the actual documents, you go to the circuit court clerk's office in person.
Kapolei also has its own district court, which is a significant convenience for West Oahu residents. The Kapolei District Court handles lower-level cases locally, including traffic matters and misdemeanor charges. This means West Oahu residents don't always have to travel to Honolulu for court. But felony cases cannot be handled at the district court level. Any serious felony charge from Kapolei routes to the First Circuit Court in downtown Honolulu.
| Felony Court | First Circuit Court, 777 Punchbowl Street, Honolulu, HI 96813 |
|---|---|
| Local District Court | Kapolei District Court (West Oahu) |
| Online Case Search | eCourt Kokua |
| Judiciary Website | courts.state.hi.us |
The Hawaii State Judiciary's eCourt Kokua is the primary tool for free public access to Kapolei felony case records.
Kapolei Felony Records Through HPD District 8
Kapolei is served by HPD District 8. The Kapolei Station is the main district hub and can be reached at 808-723-8400. District 8 also covers the Waianae coast, with a Waianae sub-station reachable at 808-723-8600. HPD officers from District 8 handle all felony arrests and incident documentation in Kapolei. The police report created at the time of arrest is the first official record in a felony case, and it feeds into the system that eventually creates the court file.
Police report copies are available through the HPD records office. Submit your request through the HPD records request page. The main office is at 801 South Beretania Street in Honolulu, open Monday through Friday from 7:45 am to 4:00 pm. You can also email requests to records@honolulupd.org. The copy fee is $0.50 for the first page and $0.25 per page after that. HPD does not provide background checks. Those go through HCJDC at the state level.
The Honolulu Police Department website covers all HPD districts including District 8, which serves Kapolei and West Oahu.
The HPD police reports request page explains how to get a copy of a police incident report related to a Kapolei arrest or case.
Kapolei Criminal History Records at HCJDC
For official certified criminal history records tied to Kapolei, HCJDC is the state agency to contact. The Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center compiles criminal history from every county in the state. A search there gives you a statewide picture, not just Kapolei or Honolulu County. That is important if the person you're looking up has lived on multiple islands.
HCJDC is at 465 South King Street, Room 102, Honolulu. Phone is (808) 587-3279. You have four main ways to get a search done. A name-based mail search costs $30. A fingerprint-based mail search costs $35, and is more accurate for confirming identity. An in-person fingerprint search at the HCJDC office costs $55 and typically returns results the same day. Online, the eCrim system costs $5 for a basic search or $12 for a complete report. Access it through the HCJDC website.
There is also a public access terminal at the HPD Beretania Street location, reachable at (808) 529-3191. That terminal costs $25 per printout and shows conviction records only. It will not show arrests, dismissed cases, or pending charges. For a complete view, combine the public terminal with an eCourt Kokua search, which covers the court system side in real time.
The Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center manages statewide criminal history records including cases originating in Kapolei.
Public Access Sites for Kapolei Felony Records
HCJDC maintains a list of approved public access terminal locations across Oahu. These terminals let you search conviction records without going through the full HCJDC mail or in-person fingerprint process. The full list is at ag.hawaii.gov/hcjdc/public-access-sites. The HPD Beretania Street terminal is one of the listed sites and is accessible by calling (808) 529-3191.
For Kapolei residents, this means you have a few options without traveling to downtown Honolulu. The terminals give quick access to conviction data. They are best used as a first check before deciding if a more thorough search is needed through eCrim or a full HCJDC report.
Check the HCJDC public access sites page for terminal locations serving West Oahu and Kapolei.
Note: Public terminals at HCJDC-approved sites only provide conviction records. For a full view of a person's criminal history including arrests and pending cases, you need the eCourt Kokua and eCrim tools.
Laws Governing Kapolei Felony Record Access
Hawaii's Uniform Information Practices Act, found in HRS Chapter 92F, is the state's core public records law. It makes most government records open to the public, including felony court case files and police incident reports. The law applies to HPD, HCJDC, the circuit courts, and all other state and county agencies that hold records tied to Kapolei cases. The Office of Information Practices oversees the UIPA and can guide you on how to file a formal records request.
If your request involves the Department of Law, you can use the UIPA request form at law.hawaii.gov/resources/uipa-request. This route is typically used when the standard search tools don't surface what you need, or when you are requesting a specific document from an agency without a public search portal.
Criminal history records have added rules under HRS Section 846-2.7. That statute defines who can receive criminal history record information and how it may be used. The general public can use the eCourt Kokua and eCrim tools, but certain uses of criminal history records require authorization from the state.
The Office of Information Practices is the state body that handles questions about public records access under UIPA for all Hawaii jurisdictions including Kapolei.
Expungement of Kapolei Felony Records
Expungement is an option for some people with criminal records in Hawaii. It lets you remove an arrest or charge from state criminal history databases. Most felony convictions do not qualify. But arrests that did not lead to conviction, dismissed charges, and certain other outcomes can be expunged under Hawaii law. The HCJDC handles expungement through its portal at ag.hawaii.gov/hcjdc/expungements.
The filing fee is $35. Processing takes about 120 days once submitted. If approved, the record is pulled from state databases. The court file may still exist but is typically sealed. For Kapolei residents who had arrests that did not result in conviction, it is worth checking eligibility. A successful expungement means that a public search through HCJDC or eCrim will not return that record.
The HCJDC expungement page lists eligibility criteria and provides the forms needed to file a petition in Hawaii.
Hawaii Attorney General and Kapolei Records
The Hawaii Attorney General's office oversees HCJDC and sets policy for criminal records access statewide. For Kapolei residents, the AG's website is a useful entry point if you are unsure which agency to contact. It links to HCJDC, the public access terminal list, eCrim, and the expungement program all in one place.
The AG also oversees the VECHS program, which allows qualified nonprofits and organizations that work with vulnerable groups to run background checks on volunteers. This is a formal, authorized program separate from public records access. If you need public felony record information for a Kapolei individual, start with eCourt Kokua and eCrim rather than VECHS, which is restricted to authorized organizations.
Nearby Cities
These West Oahu communities are close to Kapolei and use the same county and circuit court system for felony cases.
Honolulu County Felony Records
Kapolei is in Honolulu County, and all felony cases here go through the Honolulu County court system. The county page covers how the First Circuit Court manages records, what offices handle access, and the full set of tools available to the public across Honolulu County.