Civil Cases
Lawyer Referral and Information Service
The Lawyer Referral and Information Service is sponsored by the Hawai`i State Bar Association, and is a free service that provides names and contact information of attorneys who handle civil cases. While the referral service is free, you will need to make your own fee arrangement with the lawyer.
Phone: (808) 537-9140
If You Cannot Afford an Attorney
- Volunteer Legal Services of Hawai`i – This non-profit organization will help with landlord-tenant problems, wills, domestic violence, and divorce and other family matters.
Phone: O`ahu – (808) 528-7046; Neighbor Islands toll-free – 1-800-839-5200
- Legal Aid Society of Hawai`i – This non-profit organization will help with divorce, welfare, food stamps, Social Security, Medicaid, landlord-tenant and consumer problems.
Phone: O`ahu – (808) 536-4302; Neighbor Islands toll-free – 1-800-499-4302
Using a Mediator
If you wish to settle your dispute without going to court and without using lawyers, both parties can meet with a mediator from a community mediation center. The centers usually handle cases involving landlords, tenants, neighbors or family members.
For more information:
- Download a brochure about mediation (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is free.)
- Call the center on your island