MEDIA RELEASE

In light of the shortage of sheriffs on the Big Island and the Sheriffs Office’s new requirement that unless two officers are available to staff a courthouse none will be provided, proceedings normally heard at the District Courts of North Kohala and Hamakua will be heard at the South Kohala District Court.

In addition, the Ka‘u District Court calendar will move to the District Court courthouse in Kona.

The following changes are effective Oct. 1 and will be in place until further notice:

North Kohala District Court hearings to be heard at the South Kohala District Court on the fourth Wednesday of each month:

* Traffic cases will be at 8:30 a.m.
* Criminal cases will be at 8:30 a.m.
* Civil cases will be at 1 p.m.

Hamakua District Court hearings will be held at the South Kohala District Court on the first and third Thursday of each month:

* Civil cases will be at 8:30 a.m.
* Traffic cases will be at 9 a.m.
* Criminal cases will be at 10 a.m.
* Trials will be from 1 p.m.

Ka‘u District Court hearings to be heard at the Kona District Court:

* Traffic cases will be at 8:30 a.m. every Monday and Thursday
* Criminal cases will be at 1 p.m. every Monday and Thursday
* Civil cases will be at 8:30 a.m. every Tuesday

“We realize consolidating court hearings that would have been held at five rural courthouses into two courts – South Kohala and Kona – will be an inconvenience to the North Kohala, Hamakua and Ka‘u communities,” said Marsha Kitagawa, the Judiciary’s Public Affairs Officer.

“Unfortunately, we felt we had no other choice given the lack of manpower currently faced by the Sheriffs Office,” Kitagawa said. “The safety of court users and employees is a priority and too many court proceedings are being held without adequate security in place.”