• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Natori Law Office LLLC

Big Firm Trained. Small Firm Care.

Header Right

1003 Bishop St • Pauahi Tower • Suite 1360 • Honolulu, HI 96813
  • Home
  • Our Attorneys
    • Nathan Natori
  • About Us
    • Your Initial Meeting
    • Clients
    • Testimonials
    • Fees
    • Outer Island
      • Big Island
      • Maui
      • Kauai
  • Practice Areas
    • Real Estate
      • Purchase & Sale of Hawaii Real Estate
      • Agreement of Sale
      • Commercial
      • Encroachment
      • Eviction
      • For Sale by Owner
      • Landlord / Tenant
      • Brokers & Realtors
      • Water Rights
      • Partition
    • Business
      • Forming A Business
      • Acquiring A Business
      • Corporate Governance
    • Financial Institutions
    • Construction
    • Debt Collection
    • Finance
    • Foreclosure
    • Franchise
    • Health Care
    • Land Use
    • Lobbying
    • Nonprofit
    • Public Utilities
    • Guardianship
    • Probate
  • News
  • Articles
  • Contact Us

Mobile Menu

  • Home
  • Our Attorneys
    • Nathan Natori
  • About Us
    • Your Initial Meeting
    • Clients
    • Testimonials
    • Fees
    • Outer Island
      • Big Island
      • Maui
      • Kauai
  • Practice Areas
    • Real Estate
      • Purchase & Sale of Hawaii Real Estate
      • Agreement of Sale
      • Commercial
      • Encroachment
      • Eviction
      • For Sale by Owner
      • Landlord / Tenant
      • Brokers & Realtors
      • Water Rights
      • Partition
    • Business
      • Forming A Business
      • Acquiring A Business
      • Corporate Governance
    • Financial Institutions
    • Construction
    • Debt Collection
    • Finance
    • Foreclosure
    • Franchise
    • Health Care
    • Land Use
    • Lobbying
    • Nonprofit
    • Public Utilities
    • Guardianship
    • Probate
  • News
  • Articles
  • Contact Us

Enforcing a Foreign Judgment (aka Sister State Judgment) in Hawaii

Under Hawaii law, a judgment creditor who wishes to enforce a judgment that was entered in a court outside the state of Hawaii (also known as a foreign judgment or sister state judgment) must file a copy of such judgment, exemplified by the originating court, with the Hawaii state court having jurisdiction over the judgment.

Pursuant to Chapter 636C of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, the Hawaii court in which the foreign judgment is filed will treat the foreign judgment in the same manner as a judgment originally entered by a Hawaii court.

That is, the foreign judgment has the same effect and is subject to the same procedures, defenses, and proceedings of reopening, vacating, or staying as a judgment of a court of the State, including establishing a lien, and may be enforced or satisfied in a like manner.

The following are the procedures that must be followed when filing a foreign judgment on a Hawaii state court:

  • The judgment creditor needs to obtain an exemplified foreign judgment that will eventually be filed with the Hawaii court.
  • The judgment creditor’s attorney must file an Ex Parte Motion for Entry of Foreign Judgment.  The Hawaii court will the docket the motion as a special proceeding.
  • The judgment creditor will need to prepare a Notice of Entry of Judgment/Order.
  • The Ex Parte Motion for Entry of Foreign Judgment would then be filed with the Hawaii court along with sufficient copies of the Notice of Entry of Judgment/Order.
  • The filing fee would be as follows:
    • For Hawaii circuit courts, a $275 fee.
    • For Hawaii district courts, a $120 fee.
  • Although it is not required, the judgment creditor may serve a copy of the judgment (or notice of filing) on the judgment debtor.
  • The judgment creditor must prepare a Notice of Filing Foreign Judgment and a pre-stamped envelope that has been addressed to the judgment debtor, and present these items with the exemplified foreign judgment to the clerk’s office.

Once the judgment creditor obtains a Hawaii judgment for the foreign judgment, the judgment creditor can then pursue a judgment lien on the judgment debtor’s assets, if any, in Hawaii.

As you can see, there are a number of issues that you will need to consider when attempting to enforce a foreign judgment in Hawaii.  Contact us and we can help you prepare and file the necessary documentation in Hawaii’s state and district courts.

Have legal questions? Contact us today for a consultation and get the answers you need.

More Articles on Hawaii Debt Collection
  • Enforcing a Foreign Judgment (aka Sister State Judgment) in Hawaii
  • Execution of a Hawaii Judgment Against the Judgment Debtor’s Real or Personal Property in Hawaii
  • Filing a Foreign Judgment Against Hawaii Real Estate
  • How Long Does a Judgment Originally Issued By a Hawaii Court Last in Hawaii?

Primary Sidebar

Contact Us Now

  • Tell Us About Your Legal Issue

    To set up an appointment, please complete the inquiry form with your legal issue and contact information. We’ll respond to you within a day about whether or not we’re the right Hawaii attorneys for you. Besides whether we can handle your matter, we also need to determine if we’re a good fit for each other. We need to feel comfortable with you as a client, but you also need to feel comfortable with us as your Hawaii lawyer.

    Please note that we do not represent tenants in landlord/tenant disputes or borrowers in foreclosure proceedings.

  • * ~ Required · Privacy Policy

    Submitting this form does not establish an attorney-client relationship

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Footer

Aditya S.

Nathan is thorough, detailed, and knowledgeable.

Natori Law Office LLLC
1003 Bishop St
Pauahi Tower, Ste 1360
Honolulu, HI 96813

Site Footer

  • Home
  • Our Attorneys
  • About Us
  • Practice Areas
  • News
  • Articles
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2023 Natori Law Office LLLC · All Rights Reserved

The information and content on this website is not formal legal advice. It is for informational purposes only. There is no legal association with the Natori Law Office LLLC based upon your viewing this website. You do not have any attorney-client relationship with the Natori Law Office LLLC unless you have formally retained the Natori Law Office LLLC to represent you by signing its engagement letter and complying with its terms.