Kalawao County Felony Records

Kalawao County felony records are not held by a county government office because Kalawao has no county government of its own. All criminal records for this area are maintained by Maui County agencies and the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center. This page explains how to find felony records tied to Kalawao County and which offices handle those requests.

What Makes Kalawao County Unique

Kalawao is the smallest county in the United States. It sits on the Kalaupapa Peninsula on the north shore of Molokai. The population is under 100 people, made up mostly of elderly patients and care staff. It has no county council, no county mayor, no courthouse, and no police department of its own. It exists as a legal county but functions nothing like one.

The county was historically used as a leprosy settlement, isolating patients from the rest of Hawaii for over a century. Today, the peninsula is home to Kalaupapa National Historical Park, managed by the National Park Service. Access to the area is restricted. You can only get there by mule ride along a steep trail, by small aircraft, or on foot. Visitors need a permit from the NPS. This isolation means that day-to-day county services simply do not exist here in the traditional sense.

Because Kalawao has no government structure of its own, all county-level functions are handled by Maui County and the State of Hawaii. The Hawaii Department of Health and the National Park Service jointly administer the area. Law enforcement on the peninsula is handled by the Maui Police Department, with NPS rangers also active within the park boundaries.

The Kalaupapa National Historical Park covers most of the Kalawao County land area and is jointly administered by the NPS and the Hawaii Department of Health.

Getting Kalawao County Felony Records

Since Kalawao has no local records offices, you go to Maui County agencies for any felony records tied to this area. The Maui Police Department handles police reports and incident records. The Second Circuit Court in Wailuku handles all court filings and criminal case records. The Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center handles statewide criminal history checks.

For police reports, contact the Maui Police Department at 55 Mahalani Street, Wailuku, HI 96793. Their phone number is (808) 244-6400. To request a report, you will need the date, location, and names of people involved. A valid government-issued ID is required. Reports are processed under Hawaii's Uniform Information Practices Act and may include redactions. Reports tied to open investigations will not be released until the case is closed.

For court records, contact the Second Circuit Court at 2145 Main Street, Wailuku, HI 96793. Their phone number is (808) 244-2929. All felony cases from Kalawao fall under Second Circuit jurisdiction. You can also search the free online docket system eCourt Kokua without calling anyone. Certified copies of court records cost $2.00 per page plus a $2.00 certification fee.

Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center

The Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center is the statewide clearinghouse for criminal history records. Any felony record generated in Kalawao County ends up in the HCJDC system, the same as records from every other Hawaii county. This makes HCJDC the most reliable source for a complete criminal history check tied to this area.

You have a few ways to get records from HCJDC. The online option is eCrim at ecrim.ehawaii.gov. A name search costs $5. A full criminal history report costs $12. These searches are available to the public without special authorization. Turnaround is fast for most online requests. If you want a mail-based check, a name-based search costs $30 and a fingerprint-based search costs $35. Certified copies add $20 to either mail fee. HCJDC's direct line for criminal history inquiries is (808) 587-3279. Their office is at 465 S. King Street, Room 102, in Honolulu.

The Maui Police Department also has a public access terminal for HCJDC conviction records. The fee is $25 per printout. This covers adult conviction records only. Call MPD at (808) 244-6400 to ask about terminal availability and hours before making the trip to Wailuku.

The Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center maintains statewide felony records, including cases from Kalawao County handled through the Maui court system.

Note: HCJDC records show conviction history. Arrests that did not result in a conviction may not appear, and juvenile records are restricted by law.

Second Circuit Court and Felony Cases

The Second Circuit Court in Wailuku serves both Maui County and Kalawao County. This is where any felony case originating on the Kalaupapa Peninsula would be filed and heard. The court handles all stages of felony proceedings, from arraignment through sentencing and any post-conviction motions. Case records from the Second Circuit are part of the statewide Hawaii Judiciary records system.

eCourt Kokua at courts.state.hi.us is the free public docket search tool. You can find a case by party name, case number, or attorney name. Docket entries show charges filed, hearings scheduled, motions filed, and final outcomes. The system is available any time and does not require registration. If you need actual court documents, you must request them from the Second Circuit Court clerk. Fees apply for copies.

The Hawaii State Judiciary's eCourt Kokua system lets you search felony case dockets from Kalawao and all other Hawaii counties at no cost.

Felony Records Access and Hawaii Law

Hawaii's public records law is the Uniform Information Practices Act, found at HRS Chapter 92F. Under HRS § 92F-11, all government records are open to public inspection by default. You do not need to state a reason for your request. Any agency that denies access must cite a specific legal exception.

Exceptions to public access are listed in HRS § 92F-13. These include records related to ongoing investigations, records that would unreasonably violate someone's personal privacy, and records protected by other specific statutes. For felony records, the most common restrictions involve open cases and juvenile offenders. The Office of Information Practices at oip.hawaii.gov is the state agency that oversees the UIPA and handles appeals when records requests are denied. If an agency in Maui County or at the state level denies your request for Kalawao-related felony records, you can ask OIP to review the decision.

Criminal record use is also governed by HRS § 846-2.7. This statute limits who can access criminal history records and for what purposes. Anyone who gets criminal records through official channels must use that information only for lawful purposes permitted by state law.

Expungement of Kalawao County felony records follows the same state process as any other Hawaii county. Petitions go through the HCJDC expungements office. Not all felony convictions are eligible. Cases dismissed or resolved through a deferred acceptance of a guilty plea may qualify. Talk to a lawyer to find out whether your record can be cleared.

Communities in Kalawao County

Kalaupapa is the only community within Kalawao County. It sits on the isolated peninsula and is part of the Kalaupapa National Historical Park. Access requires a permit from the National Park Service. There are no cities in Kalawao County that meet the population threshold for a separate records page. All felony records for this area are handled through Maui County agencies.

Nearby Counties

The counties below each have their own court systems and police departments. Maui County is the closest and handles all services for Kalawao. Use eCourt Kokua to search records statewide if you are not sure which county filed a case.