Supreme Court of the State of Hawaii

The Supreme Court of the State of Hawai`i is the State’s court of last resort. The Supreme Court hears appeals that are properly brought before the court upon applications for writs of certiorari to the Intermediate Court of Appeals,  designated direct appeals from agency decisions, and applications for transfer from the Intermediate Court of Appeals.

The Supreme Court also

• hears reserved questions of law from the circuit courts, the land court, and the tax appeal court;
• hears certified questions of law from federal courts;
• hears applications for writs to judges and other public officers;
• hears complaints regarding elections;
• makes rules of practice and procedure for all state courts;
• licenses, regulates, and disciplines attorneys; and
• disciplines judges.

Each appeal is decided on the basis of the written record. In some cases, the court may hear oral arguments. The court takes no evidence, except in original proceedings. Each justice, or a substitute from the Intermediate Court of Appeals or the Circuit Court, participates in every substantive matter before the court.

360 Virtual Walkthrough Tour of Aliʻiōlani Hale (updated March 2025)

Take a 360 vitual walkthrough tour of Aliʻiōlani Hale, including areas of the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court Courtroom, the Supreme Court Law Library, and the Kamehameha V Judiciary History Center. Click the play button below and then the fullscreen icon in the upper right-hand corner.

Mahalo to the University of Hawai’i, William S. Richardson School of Law for their assistance in making this tour.