Rule 20 Disposition of Contested Matters
Part A. General Rules | A-V. Contested Matters
Rule Text
(a) Assignment. The court by written order may retain a contested matter on the regular probate calendar or may assign the contested matter to the civil trials calendar of the circuit court.
(b) Guideline for Assignment. The court may use as a guideline on whether to assign a contested matter to the civil trials calendar the expected length of the hearing and whether it will take more than one-half day. The court may also assign other matters to the civil trials calendar, with or without the stipulation of the parties, and the court, at the request of all parties, may retain on the probate calendar a contested matter that would otherwise be assigned to the civil trials calendar, if the court determines the matter can be handled more efficiently and effectively. When the court assigns a contested matter to either calendar, the court may set a status conference date, which the court clerk will note in the order assigning the contested matter, or in a separate status conference order.
(c) Effect of Assignment to Civil Trials Calendar. The Hawaiʻi Rules of Civil Procedure and the Rules of the Circuit Courts will apply to all contested matters assigned to the civil trials calendar. However, no right to jury trial shall be created by assignment to the civil trials calendar where such a right does not exist in the underlying proceeding. Unless otherwise ordered by the court, when a matter is assigned to the civil trials calendar, then for all procedural purposes, the party objecting to the petition shall be considered the plaintiff, the objection is to be treated as a complaint, and the complaint shall be deemed to have been filed on the date of the assignment to the civil trials calendar.
(d) Procedures in Retained Contested Matters. Whenever the court retains jurisdiction of a contested matter as a probate proceeding, the court in the order of assignment may, at the request of the parties, designate and order that any one or more of the Hawaiʻi Rules of Civil Procedure and/or the Rules of the Circuit Courts shall be applicable in such matter.
(e) Effect on Underlying Matter. The designation of an issue as a contested matter and the assignment thereof to the civil trials calendar or the probate calendar shall not affect the underlying proceeding, and the proceeding shall continue to the extent that such administration is not inconsistent with the issues being contested.
(f) Appeals. An order resolving the issues in a contested matter shall be reduced to judgment in accordance with Rule 34 of these rules and may be appealed as provided therein.
(g) Termination of Assignment. When the contested matter is finally resolved, whether by settlement, final unappealed order, or disposition on appeal, the assignment shall terminate and all matters relating to the proceeding shall thereafter be controlled by these rules.
Amendment history: Amended June 15, 2010, effective July 1, 2010.