United States District Court for the District of Hawaii
About This Court
The United States District Court for the District of Hawaii is the federal trial court of general jurisdiction for the State of Hawaii, covering all of the Hawaiian Islands. As a single-district state, the court handles all federal civil and criminal matters arising within Hawaii's borders, including those involving the island of Oahu, the neighbor islands, and federal territories and waters in the surrounding Pacific region. The court sits within the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Given Hawaii's geographic position in the central Pacific, the court regularly hears cases involving maritime law, immigration, federal land and natural resources disputes, and matters affecting Native Hawaiian rights. The court also addresses federal criminal cases involving drug trafficking, which is a recurring enforcement priority in the region due to Hawaii's location as a transit point in Pacific drug routes.
The court operates from Honolulu on the island of Oahu, which serves as the seat of state government and the primary population center of Hawaii. Cases from neighbor islands are typically consolidated and adjudicated in Honolulu, though arrangements may be made for proceedings in other locations.
Proceedings are governed by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, and Federal Rules of Evidence, along with the court's local rules. Bankruptcy cases are handled by the companion Bankruptcy Court, District of Hawaii.
Caseload
The court's docket reflects Hawaii's unique geographic and cultural context, with notable concentrations of cases involving Native Hawaiian land and water rights, federal public lands, maritime matters, and drug trafficking in the Pacific corridor.
Bar Admission
Attorneys must be admitted to practice before this court, which generally requires membership in good standing with the Hawaii State Bar. Local rules govern admission procedures, including requirements for pro hac vice appearances by out-of-state attorneys.
Clerk's Office
300 Ala Moana Boulevard, Honolulu, Hawaii 96850
(808) 541-1300
Active Judges 9
| Name | Appointed By | Confirmed | Law School |
|---|---|---|---|
| David Ezra | Ronald Reagan | 1988 | St. Mary's University School of Law, Texas |
| Helen Gillmor | William J. Clinton | 1994 | Boston University School of Law |
| Leslie Kobayashi | Barack Obama | 2010 | Boston College Law School |
| Susan Mollway | William J. Clinton | 1998 | Harvard Law School |
| Jill Otake | Donald J. Trump | 2018 | University of Washington School of Law |
| Shanlyn Park | Joseph R. Biden | 2023 | University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law |
| J[ohn] Seabright | George W. Bush | 2005 | George Washington University Law School |
| Micah Smith | Joseph R. Biden | 2023 | Harvard Law School |
| Derrick Watson | Barack Obama | 2013 | Harvard Law School |
Local Rules
91 local rules extracted from this court's published rules. See the court's official website for the authoritative text.