Hawaii Rules of Civil Procedure
Cited as Haw. R. Civ. P. · 93 active rules
The Hawaii Rules of Civil Procedure govern how civil cases proceed in Hawaii's circuit courts. Browse the full set below, organized by Title. Plain-English summaries, FAQs, and full rule text are being added rule by rule.
Source: Hawaii State Judiciary ·
Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Hawaii (Haw. Rev. Stat. § 602-11; Haw. Const. art. VI, § 7) ·
Current through January 1, 2026 ·
Official source
Title I. Scope of Rules — One Form of Action
Title II. Commencement of Action: Service of Process, Pleadings, Motions and Orders
Title III. Pleadings and Motions
- Rule 7 Pleadings Allowed; Form of Motions.
- Rule 8 General Rules of Pleading.
- Rule 9 Pleading Special Matters.
- Rule 10 Form of Pleadings.
- Rule 11 Signing of Pleadings, Motions, and Other Papers; Representations to the Court; Sanctions.
- Rule 11.1 Limited Appearance and Withdrawal.
- Rule 12 Defenses and Objections — When and How Presented — By Pleading or Motion — Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings.
- Rule 13 Counterclaim and Cross-Claim.
- Rule 14 Third-Party Practice.
- Rule 15 Amended and Supplemental Pleadings.
- Rule 16 Pre-Trial Conferences; Scheduling; Management.
- Rule 16.1 Expedited or Non-Expedited Track Assignment Based on Case Characteristics; Discovery Limitations; Trial Setting.
- Rule 16.2 Appearance by Telephonic or Videoconference Call.
Title IV. Parties
- Rule 17 Parties Plaintiff and Defendant; Capacity.
- Rule 18 Joinder of Claims and Remedies.
- Rule 19 Joinder of Persons Needed for Just Adjudication.
- Rule 20 Permissive Joinder of Parties.
- Rule 21 Misjoinder and Nonjoinder of Parties.
- Rule 22 Interpleader.
- Rule 23 Class Actions.
- Rule 23.1 Derivative Actions by Shareholders.
- Rule 23.2 Actions Relating to Unincorporated Associations.
- Rule 24 Intervention.
- Rule 25 Substitution of Parties.
- Rule 25.1 Withdrawal, Substitution, and Appearance of Counsel.
Title V. Depositions and Discovery
- Rule 26 General Provisions Governing Discovery.
- Rule 27 Depositions Before Action or Pending Appeal.
- Rule 28 Persons Before Whom Depositions May Be Taken.
- Rule 29 Stipulations Regarding Discovery Procedure.
- Rule 30 Depositions Upon Oral Examination.
- Rule 31 Depositions Upon Written Questions.
- Rule 32 Use of Depositions in Court Proceedings.
- Rule 33 Interrogatories to Parties.
- Rule 34 Production of Documents, Electronically Stored Information and Tangible Things and Entry Upon Land for Inspection and Other Purposes.
- Rule 35 Physical and Mental Examination of Persons.
- Rule 36 Requests for Admission.
- Rule 37 Failure to Make or Cooperate in Discovery; Sanctions.
Title VI. Trials
- Rule 38 Jury Trial of Right.
- Rule 39 Trial by Jury or by the Court.
- Rule 40 Assignment of Cases for Trial.
- Rule 41 Dismissal of Actions.
- Rule 41.1 Documents Dismissing an Action or Any Part Thereof Pursuant to Rules 41(a)(1)(A), 41(a)(1)(B), and/or 41(c) of the Hawaii Rules of Civil Procedure.
- Rule 42 Consolidation; Separate Trials.
- Rule 43 Taking of Testimony.
- Rule 44 Proof of Official Record.
- Rule 44.1 Determination of Foreign Law.
- Rule 45 Subpoena.
- Rule 46 Exceptions Unnecessary.
- Rule 47 Jurors.
- Rule 48 Juries of Less than Twelve — Majority Verdict.
- Rule 49 Special Verdicts and Interrogatories.
- Rule 50 Judgment as a Matter of Law in Jury Trials; Alternative Motion for New Trial; Conditional Rulings.
- Rule 51 Instructions to Jury.
- Rule 52 Findings by the Court.
- Rule 53 Masters.
Title VII. Judgment
- Rule 54 Judgments; Costs; Attorneys' Fees.
- Rule 55 Default.
- Rule 56 Summary Judgment.
- Rule 57 Declaratory Judgments.
- Rule 58 Entry of Judgment.
- Rule 59 New Trials; Amendment of Judgments.
- Rule 60 Relief from Judgment or Order.
- Rule 61 Harmless Error.
- Rule 62 Stay of Proceedings to Enforce a Judgment.
- Rule 63 Inability of a Judge to Proceed.
Title VIII. Provisional and Final Remedies and Special Proceedings
- Rule 64 Seizure of Person or Property.
- Rule 65 Injunctions.
- Rule 65.1 Security: Proceedings Against Sureties.
- Rule 66 Receivers Appointed by Courts.
- Rule 67 Deposit in Court.
- Rule 68 Offer of Settlement or Judgment.
- Rule 69 Execution.
- Rule 70 Judgment for Specific Acts; Vesting Title.
- Rule 71 Process in Behalf of and Against Persons Not Parties.
Title IX. Appeal
- Rule 72 Appeal to a Circuit Court.
- Rule 73 Deleted. Deleted
- Rule 74 Deleted. Deleted
- Rule 75 Deleted. Deleted
- Rule 76 Deleted. Deleted
Title X. Circuit Courts and Clerks
Title XI. General Provisions
Hawaii numbers its rules 1 through 86, with decimal rules added over time as procedures were split out (for example 1.1, 3.1, 11.1, 16.1, 16.2, 23.1, 23.2, 25.1, 41.1, 44.1, 65.1, and 81.1). Rules 73 through 76 were deleted by the 1980 amendment and carry no rule text; Rule 86 was reserved the same year. Both are shown here for completeness. Rule 84 points to an Appendix of Forms, which is not reproduced as separate rule pages.