Kalawao County Criminal History Records
Kalawao County criminal history records are accessible through the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center and the Second Circuit Court, which handles all judicial matters for this small, unique county on the island of Molokai. Because Kalawao County has no independent courthouse or police department, residents and requesters must go through Maui County channels and state-level systems to search for criminal records, arrest information, and court case details tied to Kalawao County.
Kalawao County Overview
How Kalawao County Works
Kalawao County is the smallest county in the United States by population. Only 82 people lived there as of the 2020 census. The county sits on the Kalaupapa Peninsula on the north coast of Molokai, a remote stretch of land that was once a settlement for people with Hansen's disease. That history shaped what the county is today. Much of the area now falls within the Kalaupapa National Historical Park. Because so few people live there, the county does not run its own police department, does not maintain its own courthouse, and does not have a separate local government in the usual sense.
This matters a lot when you want to find criminal history records. There is no Kalawao County court building you can walk into. There is no local police records window. Instead, two external systems handle everything. The Maui Police Department provides law enforcement for all of Molokai, including Kalaupapa. The Second Circuit Court, based in Maui County, handles all judicial proceedings. So when a crime occurs in Kalawao County, the arrest goes through Maui County law enforcement, the case goes before the Second Circuit Court, and the record lands in the same systems that hold Maui County records.
The county name means "mountain-side wild woods" in Hawaiian. It was founded in 1905. Small as it is, it still holds county status in the state of Hawaii, and criminal records from its jurisdiction are tracked, stored, and available through official state systems.
Kalawao County Criminal Records via HCJDC
The Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center is the main state agency for criminal history records. It operates under the Department of the Attorney General. The HCJDC runs the statewide Criminal Justice Information System, called CJIS-Hawaii, which includes records from all counties, Kalawao County among them. If someone was arrested and prosecuted in Kalawao County's jurisdiction, that record flows into the HCJDC database.
The HCJDC offers two types of checks: name-based and fingerprint-based. Name-based searches use the person's full name, date of birth, social security number, and gender. They are faster and cheaper, but they can miss records if someone used a different name. Fingerprint-based checks are more thorough because they match actual prints, not just name strings. For Kalawao County records specifically, a name check is usually enough given the tiny population, but a fingerprint check gives you a more complete and reliable result.
The HCJDC office is at Kekuanaoa Building, 465 S. King Street, Room 102, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813. Hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed from noon to 1:00 p.m. for lunch and closed on state holidays. Call (808) 587-3279 for criminal history record check questions. No cash is accepted in the office. Payments must be by credit card, debit card, Apple Pay, money order, or cashier's check. For mail requests, use money order or cashier's check only.
To request a criminal history record check, you fill out form HCJDC-073. The fee for a name check done by HCJDC staff is $30. A fingerprint check costs $55 in person or $35 by mail. Public access printouts at a Public Access Site cost $25. These fees apply to Kalawao County records the same as any other county in the state.
Note: HCJDC records cover adult criminal convictions only. Juvenile records are not included. Pending arrests and non-conviction records are considered confidential and are not available to the general public. Only authorized criminal justice agencies can access non-conviction data.
The screenshot below shows the HCJDC portal at ag.hawaii.gov/hcjdc, which is the starting point for any criminal history record check tied to Kalawao County or any other county in Hawaii.
HCJDC provides the central state database for all criminal history record information, including records from Kalawao County cases processed through the Second Circuit Court and Maui County law enforcement.
Online Search: eCrim for Kalawao County
The fastest way to search for a criminal conviction connected to Kalawao County is through eCrim. This is Hawaii's online adult criminal conviction database, available at ecrim.ehawaii.gov. The site runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You do not need to go anywhere in person. You just need the person's name, date of birth, gender, and ideally a social security number to narrow results.
Each unique search costs $5.00. If the search turns up a record and you want an official copy, that costs an additional $12.00. You pay by credit or debit card. The system logs you out after 30 minutes of inactivity, so complete your session in one sitting. A result that says "No Criminal Convictions Found" is a valid outcome. It means the name you searched did not return a conviction record in HCJDC files.
eCrim shows conviction data only. It will not show you arrests that did not lead to a conviction, pending cases, or non-conviction dispositions. Those records are restricted. If you need that level of detail for a Kalawao County matter, you will need to go through official law enforcement or court channels.
Tip: If a search returns no result, that does not always mean a person has no record. Name variations and data entry differences can affect results. A fingerprint check through HCJDC gives a more definitive answer.
Kalawao County Court Records at Second Circuit
Kalawao County falls under the Second Circuit Court, which is based in Maui. All criminal cases from the Kalaupapa Peninsula go before that court. The Hawaii State Judiciary is the principal agency for criminal court records across all counties, including Kalawao. The judiciary keeps court documents for every case processed in each circuit. For Kalawao County, those records live at the Second Circuit Court in Wailuku.
The physical address for the Second Circuit Court is 200 S. High St, Kalana O Maui Bldg, Wailuku, HI 96793. The phone number is (808) 323-4881. If you want to look at court files from a Kalawao County case in person, this is where you go. The Circuit Court Clerk's office holds physical copies of court records, and staff can pull case files by name or case number. Records can be transferred by fax, email, or mail, but official certified records are sent by mail only.
For online court record searches, use eCourt Kokua, the Hawaii State Judiciary's public case search system. eCourt Kokua lets you search by party name, case number, or citation number. It covers cases from courts across all circuits, including the Second Circuit that governs Kalawao County. Not all documents appear in full online, but the case index and key docket entries are typically visible.
For Molokai District Court matters, the number is (808) 553-1100. District courts handle misdemeanor cases and preliminary proceedings before cases move to circuit court. Felony cases go to the Second Circuit Court on Maui.
The screenshot below is from eCourt Kokua, the Hawaii State Judiciary's public search portal, where you can look up criminal court cases linked to Kalawao County through the Second Circuit.
The eCourt Kokua system indexes court cases from all Hawaii circuits. Cases from Kalawao County appear under the Second Circuit designation. Search by party name or case number to locate records.
Records Access: For documents not available online, call the Second Circuit Court Clerk at (808) 323-4881 before visiting. You can also review documents on public access terminals at the courthouse. Copies require payment, while viewing records on-screen is typically free.
Law Enforcement and Arrest Records for Kalawao
Kalawao County has no police department of its own. The Maui County Police Department provides all law enforcement services for Molokai, including the Kalaupapa Peninsula. If you need to ask about an arrest that happened in the Kalawao County area, Maui Police is the agency to contact. Their Molokai District operations handle calls for service, arrest processing, and warrant enforcement for the island.
For questions about public safety and law enforcement related to Kalawao County, you can also reach the Maui Office of the Hawaii Department of Health at (808) 586-4412. This office handles certain public safety and health inquiries tied to the remote peninsula. Because the county operates without a standard local government, multiple state and county agencies share responsibility for its residents.
Arrest records from Kalawao County go into the Maui Police Department's system and, once processed, feed into the HCJDC statewide database. Warrant searches for the area should go through Maui Police or through the Second Circuit Court Clerk's office, which offers joint support for Kalawao County matters. Arrest records that result in conviction become public record. Those that do not result in conviction stay confidential.
Key contacts for law enforcement records:
- Maui Police Department (Molokai District): (808) 553-1100 (Molokai District Court line for judicial inquiries)
- Maui Office, Hawaii Department of Health: (808) 586-4412
- Second Circuit Court Clerk (Wailuku): (808) 323-4881
- County Courthouse contact: Phone (808) 961-8255 / Fax (808) 961-8912
- Department of Law Enforcement frequently called numbers
Kalawao County Criminal Background Checks
Running a criminal history record check for someone connected to Kalawao County follows the same process as any Hawaii county. You use the HCJDC systems. The small population does not create any special shortcut or different procedure. You still need the person's full name, date of birth, and ideally a social security number for a name-based check, or a fingerprint card for a fingerprint-based check.
Public Access Sites are available across the state where you can conduct name-based searches for $25 per printout. You pay by money order or cashier's check at most sites. Find a location near you at ag.hawaii.gov/hcjdc/public-access-sites. These terminals pull directly from HCJDC files, so the results cover Kalawao County convictions alongside those from any other part of the state.
The image below shows the HCJDC criminal history record check page, where you can start the process of requesting a background check that includes Kalawao County criminal history data.
The HCJDC criminal history record check service covers all adult conviction records statewide, including those tied to Kalawao County cases processed by the Second Circuit Court and Maui County law enforcement.
HCJDC Office: Kekuanaoa Building, 465 S. King Street, Room 102, Honolulu, HI 96813. Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. No cash accepted. Call (808) 587-3279 for record check questions.
Legal Framework for Kalawao Criminal Records
Hawaii law sets the rules for who can get criminal history records and what can be released. Hawaii Revised Statutes Section 846-2.7 is the key statute. It authorizes the HCJDC to conduct criminal history record checks for a wide range of agencies and purposes. The statute covers name-based and fingerprint-based checks and allows for both state and national searches through the FBI. It applies statewide, which means Kalawao County records fall under the same rules as every other county.
Conviction records are public. Non-conviction records are confidential. That line matters because Kalawao County, like all Hawaii counties, generates both types. An arrest that leads to a guilty verdict is in the public record. An arrest that results in a dismissal, acquittal, or no charges is not. Only authorized agencies such as certain state departments can see the full picture including non-conviction data.
Expungements can remove eligible records from public view. If someone had a case in Kalawao County that was expunged, that record will not appear in public searches. The HCJDC handles expungement applications for Hawaii. More information is at ag.hawaii.gov/hcjdc/expungements. The first expungement costs $35, with $10 of that being a non-refundable processing fee. A second or later expungement costs $50.
Court records follow the Uniform Information Practices Act, or UIPA, which governs public access to government records in Hawaii. More about court records access is at courts.state.hi.us.
Cities in Kalawao County
Kalawao County has only one community, Kalaupapa, which serves as the county seat. With a total county population of 82 residents, there are no cities that meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page. Kalaupapa is the only settlement within the county, and it is located entirely within the Kalaupapa National Historical Park on the Molokai peninsula.
Nearby Counties
Kalawao County shares the island of Molokai with parts of Maui County and is close to other Hawaii counties by sea. All criminal court matters for Kalawao County go through Maui County's Second Circuit. These neighboring counties each have their own records access points.