Legal Resources
Attorney Referral Resources
Legal Aid
Legal Line
University of Hawaiʻi Elder Law Program (UHELP)
Websites & Self-Help Guides
Attorney Referral Resources
The Library Faculty and Staff cannot recommend an attorney.
Referral List of Legal Service Organizations 2014-2015 .pdf
Hawaiʻi State Bar Association Lawyer Referral and Information Service
(808) 537-9140
lris@hsba.org
Legal Aid
If you have been charged with a criminal offense and cannot afford an attorney, you have the right to an attorney free of charge. For more information, contact the Office of the Public Defender at (808) 586-2200.
If your case is a non-criminal matter, it is called a civil case. You may qualify for legal assistance in a civil case. For more information, contact the Legal Aid Society of Hawaiʻi at (808) 536-4302 for Oahu, or 1-800-499-4302 for neighbor islands.
Legal Line
Volunteer attorneys available to provide legal information and referrals Wednesday evenings from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Call (808) 537-1868.
Volunteer Legal Services Hawaiʻi
(808) 528-7046 for Oahu, or 1-800-839-5200 from Neighbor Islands
Provides free or low-cost legal help to individuals and non-profit organizations. This organization also conducts free legal clinics on divorce, bankruptcy, tax, and other topics.
University of Hawaiʻi Elder Law Program (UHELP)
University of Hawaiʻi Elder Law Program (UHELP)
UHELP operates throughout the calendar year and provides basic legal assistance, advice and information on problems involving public entitlements, guardianship and alternatives to guardianship, housing, landlord-tenant, elder abuse, age discrimination, pension and retirement problems, planning for incapacity and death, consumer protection, medical treatment, long-term-care insurance and family law. UHELP is not permitted to assist with business or criminal law matters or with personal injury or other fee-generating cases. You may qualify for services if you are 60 years or older and are socially or economically needy or if you are a caregiver of an older person and need legal assistance on behalf of the older person. Contact 808-956-6544.
Websites & Self-Help Guides
Hawai’i
Hawai’i Criminal Justice Data Center – Fee-based service provided by the Hawai’i Criminal Justice Center. The Center will search an individual’s criminal history record for a $14 fee.
Hawai’i Judiciary Self-Help Center – Court of Hawai’i Forms, Divorce, Small Claims, Landlord-Tenant Claims, Regular Claims, Traffic Cases, Protective Orders, Juvenile Proceedings, Tips on Going to Court, Courtroom Information, Ex Parte Contact
Divorce Law in Hawai’i – Attend free informational seminars sponsored by the Family Court of the First Circuit Court. Presentations include an overview of custody and visitation, child support, property division and alimony.
Domestic Violence Action Center – This agency has been providing legal information and representation to victims. Their programs have become more diversified and in addition to legal services, they have a complement of advocates to assist and accompany victims as they seek access to community resources in their pursuit of safety and freedom.
Hawai’i Legal Aid – Offers self-help materials on a number of legal topics. Some topics include legal forms. Topics include: Consumers, Education, Family Law (Divorce and Child Custody), Juvenile Law, Health, Housing, Civil Rights, Immigration, Wills, Government Benefits, Seniors, Employment Law, and Tax.
LawHelp Hawaii – List of legal topics with online resources including general information, your legal rights, the law and the courts, legal forms and more.
Hawaii Legal Services Portal – The state’s first comprehensive legal services portal to direct people needing civil legal help to the most appropriate organizations and resources.
Hawai’i Legislative Reference Bureau Legal Guides
- A Citizen’s Guide To Participation In The Legislative Process – Prepared by the House Majority Staff Office State House of Representatives, with contributions from the Senate Majority Office, State Senate.
- Hawaii Government Directory and the Guide to Government in Hawaii – Discusses state and county departments and their organization and the agencies of the federal government having offices in Hawai’i.
- How A Bill Becomes Law In Hawai`i.pdf
- How To Research Constitutional, Legislative, And Statutory History In Hawai`i .pdf
- Using Hawai`i’s Freedom of Information Law .pdf
Hawai’i Practice Manuals – A listing of Hawai’i Legal Practice Manuals. The Law Library has many of these titles in our collection, as does the Hawai’i Supreme Court Library located in downtown Honolulu.
Hawai’i Supreme Court Law Library – Subject Guides include Child Support, Hawai‘i Legislative History, How to Read a Legal Citation, Landlord-Tenant Code, General Legal Research, and more.
General
ABA Free Legal Answers – An online portal that allows low-income individuals to ask civil legal questions of volunteer attorneys. It also allows lawyers during COVID times to provide pro-bono services when they are needed most.
Bankruptcy: U.S. Bankruptcy Court Information for Non-Lawyers
Google Scholar for Law – Find legal articles and cases using the Google search engine
Lexis Web – Free search engine that provides access to free legal-oriented web content from such sites as legal blogs, news, advocacy organizations, think tanks, court websites and government websites. (Free searches during the beta offer.)
immi.org – Immi helps immigrants in the U.S. understand their legal options. Our online screening tool, legal information, and referrals to nonprofit legal services organizations are always free to use. Immi was created by the Immigration Advocates Network and Pro Bono Net, two nonprofit organizations dedicated to increasing access to justice for low-income immigrants.
Nolo.com – Nolo Press is the leading publisher of legal self-help materials. This website features the “Nolopedia” with free legal information on a variety of topics. Podcasts are also avaiable. The Law Library has many titles from Nolo Press. Use our Library Catalog and search “Nolo” to find these helpful books. These titles are also available on ebrary.
Perfecting Your Appeal – Guide to writing an appeal, provided by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. A 28-minute practice guide video is also available at this website.
Public Library of Law – Free resource for cases, statutes, regulations, court rules, constitutions. Free registration required to display cases.
Public.Resource.Org – Nonprofit organization providing free access to case law online, NTIS documents, congressional documents and hearings.
Justia.com – A free legal portal providing links to useful legal sites and searchable case law and docket databases.
Resources for Self-Represented Litigants – A list of helpful links sponsored in part by the American Association of Law Libraries, and the National Center for State Courts.