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The 1847 Act organizing the Judiciary Department designated the district and police courts as the island courts not of record. District and police court determinations were subject to appeal in the circuit courts on their respective island. District and police justices had jurisdiction to determine all civil and criminal cases. Police justices were assigned to the ports of Honolulu and Lahaina and had jurisdiction over both minor civil and criminal as well as maritime cases. Police justices also had jurisdiction over foreigners over the entire island or circuit in which his district was situated.

The 1892 Judiciary reorganization designated all police justices as district magistrates, holding powers formerly exercised by police justices.

The district courts' jurisdiction remained the same when Hawaii became a territory of the United States in 1900. The exception was maritime cases which were not heard in the district courts after 1900.

Traffic violations, previously handled by the county police departments, were criminalized and heard in the district courts after 1960.

The 1847 Act organizing the Judiciary Department designated the district and police courts as the island courts not of record. District and police court determinations were subject to appeal in the circuit courts on their respective island. District and police justices had jurisdiction to determine all civil and criminal cases. Police justices were assigned to the ports of Honolulu and Lahaina and had jurisdiction over both minor civil and criminal as well as maritime cases. Police justices also had jurisdiction over foreigners over the entire island or circuit in which his district was situated.

In 1892, the Judiciary reorganized. The islands of Kauai and Niihau were designated the Fifth Circuit.

The 1892 Judiciary reorganization designated all police justices as district magistrates, holding powers formerly exercised by police justices.

The district courts' jurisdiction remained the same when Hawaii became a territory of the United States in 1900. The exception was maritime cases which were not heard in the district courts after 1900.

Traffic violations, previously handled by the county police departments, were criminalized and heard in the district courts after 1960.

The first organic act, “to organize the Executive Ministry,” October 25, 1845, formally established the Office of the Minister of the Interior to preside over the Department of the Interior, later established on April 27, 1846, by an “act to organize the Executive Departments.” Prior to the first organic act, on March 26, 1845, King Kamehameha III entrusted the duties of the Minister of the Interior to Dr. Gerrit P. Judd, who served as Minister until February 7,1846.

The act designated the Premier (Kuhina Nui), then John Young II, as Minister but an amendment relieving the Premier of this duty was passed on January 15,1855. John Young II resigned the Premiership and continued to serve as Minister until June 6, 1857 when he was succeeded by Lot Kamehameha (June 1857 December 1863). Later ministers were G.M. Robertson (December 1863 February 1864), C.G. Hopkins (February 1864 Apri1 1865), F.W. Hutchison (April1865 January 1873), E.O. Hall (January 1873 February 1874), H.A. Widemann (February May 1874), W.L. Green (May October 1874), W.L. Moehonua (October 1874-December 1876), J. Mott Smith (December1876 Ju1y 1878), S.G. Wilder (July 1878 August 1880), J.E. Bush (August September 1880), H.A.P. Carter (September 1880 December 1881), W.N. Armstrong (December 1881 May 1882), S.K. Kaai (May August 1882), J.E. Bush (August 1882 Ju1y 1883), W.M. Gibson (June October 1886), L. Aholo (October 1886 Ju1y 1887), L.A. Thurston (July 1887 June 1890), C.N. Spencer (June 1890 September 1892), C.T. Gulick (September November 1892), G.N. Wilcox (November 1892 January 1893), J.F. Colburn (January 13 17, 1893), J.A. King (January 1893-0ctober 1899), A. Young (October 1899-May 1900), S.M. Damon (May-June 1900).

Under the Republic of Hawaii, the Office of Auditor-General was succeeded by the Department of the Auditor-General by Act 39 of Sessions laws of Hawaii, 1898. The Organic Act renamed the Auditor-General position "the Comptroller" in 1900. In practice, the territorial government continued to use the titles "Auditor” and “Auditor of the Territory" until the post was renamed “Comptroller” by the Territorial Legislature in 1957 (Act 152).

The Audit Division was established with the Department of Accounting and General Service in 1959, under the Reorganization Act of 1959, Act 1, Second Special Session.

When Hawaii became a state in 1959, the executive branch was reorganized and the newly created State Department of Taxation was assigned the function and responsibility of assessing and collecting taxes (Act 1, Second Special Session, Session Laws of Hawaii).

Predecessor Agencies:
Department of Finance of the Kingdom of Hawaii, 1846-1893
Department of Finance of Hawaii, 1893-1900
Tax Bureau, Treasury Department of the Territory of Hawaii, 1900-1932
Tax Commissioner, 1932-1959

Planning for the optimum use of human and natural resources and for the development of the economy of the State. Collated data regarding the people, resources and needs of the State. Prescribed a standardized statistical reporting system for the State.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources was formed from a number of existing agencies and divisions, under the Hawaii State Government Reorganization Act of 1959. The Governor's Executive Order Number 14 formally established the Department on May 11, 1960.