First Circuit Court

Corporate body

First Circuit Court

1847-1865

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.

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 First Circuit was the island of Oahu, with Honolulu as the seat of justice.

1847: Established as a Circuit Court. Circuit courts had jurisdiction over adoptions, district and police court appeals, arbitrations, bankruptcies, admiralty, civil, criminal, divorce, fishing rights, guardianship, naturalization, probate, special proceedings, and water rights cases. Civil cases include equity and law cases.
1865: Restricted to role of Intermediary Court, hearing district and police court appeals, primary jurisdiction assumed by the Supreme Court.
1874: Intermediary Court function also assumed by the Supreme Court.

The clerks of the Supreme Court, circuit courts, and district courts were appointed by their respective courts and had the power to issue process in all suits and matters brought before the court, administer oaths, take depositions of witnesses, to assess damages, and draw juries. The clerk recorded the proceedings of the court and held custody of court records. The clerk had charge of the seals of the court, maintained financial records, made quarterly account reports, and maintained an alphabetical list of plaintiffs and defendants to any suit or judgment recorded.

An Act to Organize the Judiciary Department of the Hawaiian Islands, 1847
An Act to Abolish the Circuit Court for the First Judicial District, approved 10 January, 1865.
An Act to Abolish the Office of Circuit Judge of the Island of Oahu, approved 13 July, 1874.

Created on 1994-06, P. Lai
Revised on 1996-10, 1996-11, 1997-04, 2001-06, and 2002-06
Additions on 2002-11, A. Hoof
Additions on 2004-04, P. Lai
Revised on 2020-09-09, Joel Horowitz

• English

An Act to Abolish the Circuit Court for the First Judicial District, approved 10 January, 1865.
An Act to Abolish the Office of Circuit Judge of the Island of Oahu, approved 13 July, 1874.

1994-06, P. Lai: Created
1996-10, 1996-11, 1997-04, 2001-06, and 2002-06: Revised
2002-11, A. Hoof: Additions
2004-04, P. Lai: Additions
2020-09-09, Joel Horowitz: Entered into AtoM, with clarifications regarding the First Circuit in intermediary courts of the mid-19th century.