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On October 8, 1840, Kamehameha III granted the first constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom, which vested the judicial power of government in a Supreme Court, consisting of the King as chief judge, Premier (kuhina nui), and four individuals appointed by the representative body. Island courts held by their respective governors functioned as circuit courts on their respective island. The island governors were given powers to appoint judges who functioned as district magistrates for the island. Chapter XLVII of the Laws of 1842 mandated that the Supreme judges assemble in Honolulu each June and in Lahaina each December to try cases appealed to them. Selection criteria for foreign and native juries were provided for in the Laws of 1842. The Third Act of Kamehameha III in 1847 titled "An Act to Organize the Judiciary Department of the Hawaiian Islands" created four levels of courts - the Supreme Court, the Superior Court of Law and Equity, four circuit court jurisdictions, and district courts.

The Supreme Court established by the Constitution of 1840 was abolished in December 1852. and reestablished by an 1853 act which mandated the transfer of the civil and criminal jurisdiction from the Superior Court to a new Supreme Court consisting of the three members of the former Superior Court. Pending cases from both courts were taken up by the new one.

The Supreme Court established by the Constitution of 1840 was abolished in December 1852 and reestablished by an 1853 act which mandated the transfer of the civil and criminal jurisdiction from the Superior Court to a new Supreme Court consisting of the three members of the former Superior Court. Pending cases in both courts were taken up by the new one

By 1864, the First Circuit Court on Oahu was gradually phased out of existence and its judicial powers were transferred to the Supreme Court. In 1865 the circuit court was abolished, but the appellate jurisdictions in chambers remained as a function. Such proceedings were referred to as Intermediary Court, but the person presiding was called the First Circuit Court Judge. Appeals from the District Court of the First Circuit were heard in Intermediary Court. In 1874, the intermediary function of the First Circuit Court judge was transferred to the Supreme Court which now held both original and appellate jurisdiction for the island of Oahu. The term Intermediary Court continued to be used when a Supreme Court Justice presided in that role.

In 1892, the functions of the Supreme Court were restricted to those of an appellate court. Its functions as a circuit court were assumed by a reestablished First Circuit Court.

On October 8, 1840, Kamehameha III granted the first constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom, which vested the judicial power of government in a Supreme Court, consisting of the King as chief judge, Premier (kuhina nui), and four individuals appointed by the representative body. Island courts held by their respective governors functioned as circuit courts on their respective island. The island governors were given powers to appoint judges who functioned as district magistrates for the island. Chapter XLVII of the Laws of 1842 mandated that the Supreme judges assemble in Honolulu each June and in Lahaina each December to try cases appealed to them. Selection criteria for foreign and native juries were provided for in the Laws of 1842. The Third Act of Kamehameha III in 1847 titled "An Act to Organize the Judiciary Department of the Hawaiian Islands" created four levels of courts - the Supreme Court, the Superior Court of Law and Equity, four circuit court jurisdictions, and district courts.

An 1853 law mandated the transfer of the civil and criminal jurisdiction from the Superior Court to a new Supreme Court consisting of the three members of the former Superior Court. Pending cases in both courts were taken up by the new one.

In 1846 responsibility for population count shifted to the Department of Public Instruction. This new law went beyond taxation in its scope, charging the Minister of Public Instruction:

...the census so to be taken shall comprise in distinct columns, the inhabitants in each district, between such ages as the privy council shall direct, specifying also the proportional number of each sex, and shall, as far as practicable, indicate their avocations and such other particulars as the privy council shall direct, including an annual bill of mortality, and of the natural increase." Second Act of Kamehameha III, An Act to Organize the Executive Departments of the Hawaiian Islands, 1846.

The early censuses were under the direction of the Minister of Public Instruction and were conducted primarily by school inspectors and schoolteachers with the guidance and assistance of the American missionaries. From 1860 direction was placed under a Superintendent of the Census within the Department of Public Instruction, the Inspector General of Schools or the President of the Board of Education.

In all, the Hawaiian government conducted twelve official censuses. The Department first made efforts to take the census in 1847, 1848 and 1849. However, it was not until 1850 that an officially accepted count was finally made. This was followed by government censuses in 1853, 1860, 1866, 1872, 1878, 1884, 1890 and 1896.

With territorial status, jurisdiction shifted to the United States government and the Islands became part of the U.S. census from 1900 on.

1940-1944. Honolulu, Oahu. Pan Pacific Press Bureau
1945-1949. Honolulu, Oahu. Photo Hawaii. Partnership with Murray Befeler
1950-1958. Honolulu, Oahu. Camera Hawaii, Alexander Young Building
1959-1977. Honolulu, Oahu. Camera Hawaii, Koula St.

Act 197, approved June 28, 1965, "established a Statuary Hall Commission to make the necessary recommendations and preparations for the placement of appropriate statues in the National Statuary Hall..." (Session Laws, 1965). At the first meeting of the Statuary Hall Commission on August 16, 1966, the seven members were sworn in. They were:

Louis A. Lopez
Leiai K. Laa, Jr.
Mrs. Helen A. Cailliet
Carl A. Farden, Jr.
Mrs. Jan Moon
Mrs. Eliz. F. Rice
Henry Gomez

The Commission asked to be disbanded in September 1969 after completing their task of placing two statues in the national capitol, Washington, D.C. King Kamehameha was permanently placed in Statuary Hall on June 27, 1969, and Father Damien was placed in the House Hall of Columns on July 2, 1969.