Find Bankruptcy Records in Hilo
Hilo bankruptcy records live with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Hawaii, over in Honolulu. There is no bankruptcy court on the Big Island. Every Hilo debtor files at the federal Clerk's Office at 1132 Bishop Street. The good news is you can search Hilo bankruptcy records from home through PACER, without a flight to Oahu. This page walks Hilo residents through how to search, what state courts in Hilo do for related matters, how to access case files, and how the 341 meeting works by Zoom.
Hilo Bankruptcy Records Overview
Where Hilo Residents File Bankruptcy
The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Hawaii handles every Hilo bankruptcy case. The court is at 1132 Bishop Street, Suite 250, in downtown Honolulu. There is no branch on the Big Island. Hilo debtors can mail filings, use CM/ECF through an attorney, or travel to Oahu.
Bankruptcy sits in federal law. The Hawaii State Judiciary does not handle these cases. Title 11 of the U.S. Code holds the Bankruptcy Code. Local Bankruptcy Rules for the District of Hawaii fill in the details. The Clerk's Office takes calls at (808) 522-8100 and emails at copies@hib.uscourts.gov. The court runs 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on weekdays. Hilo debtors who want a plain-language overview can look at hib.uscourts.gov/understanding-bankruptcy.
Zoom and phone access help Big Island debtors. Most hearings are remote. The main site is hib.uscourts.gov.
State Courts Serving Hilo Residents
Hilo is the county seat of Hawaii County and hosts the Third Circuit Court. State courts in Hilo do not file bankruptcy, but they handle civil matters that show up in a bankruptcy schedule. Foreclosures, lawsuits, and small claims all live at Hale Kaulike.
| Courthouse | Address | Phone / Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Hale Kaulike (Third Circuit) | 777 Kilauea Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720 | (808) 961-7400 · 8am-4pm |
| District Court Hilo Division | 777 Kilauea Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720 | (808) 961-7515 |
| Hawaii County Info & Requests | 25 Aupuni St., Rm. 217, Hilo, HI 96720 | (808) 961-8223 |
Hale Kaulike sits at 777 Kilauea Avenue. The email for legal docs requests is hilolegaldocs.3cc@courts.hawaii.gov. The fax line is 808-961-7493. Older case files, more than five years old, may be held off-site. Call before you visit if you need an older file. County records for Hilo, such as property and tax rolls, are held at the Hawaii County Office of Information and Requests.
The county also runs a Laserfiche WebLink archive for County Council papers. The user name is "public" and the password is "weblink808". That archive does not hold Hilo bankruptcy records, but it can help track property liens or tax sales that touch a bankruptcy case.
Note: No bankruptcy court sits on the Big Island, so Hilo debtors must file at the federal Clerk's Office in Honolulu, even for small Chapter 7 cases.
How to Search Hilo Bankruptcy Records
PACER is the main tool for Hilo bankruptcy records. It covers every federal bankruptcy court, so one search can pull Hawaii cases plus any other cases filed across the country. Sign-up is free at pacer.gov. The fee runs $0.10 per page with a $3 cap per document. All Hilo bankruptcy records filed on or after January 1, 1998 show up as electronic images.
A lead-in to the court's main page will help a first-time Hilo user find Case Locator and E-Filing:
Start at hib.uscourts.gov for links to PACER Case Locator, CM/ECF e-filing, and the full fee schedule tied to Hilo bankruptcy records.
State court records for the Third Circuit come from eCourt Kokua at courts.state.hi.us. Case IDs for Hilo start with a 3 (Third Circuit). Example: a criminal case "CR-20-3-0123" maps to the JIMS code 3PC20100123. eCourt Kokua covers state traffic, District, Circuit, Family, Land Court, and Tax Appeal cases. It does not cover Hilo bankruptcy records. Another useful Big Island site is the county government page at hawaiicounty.gov, which lists the Office of Information & Requests and county clerk contacts.
For a fast free check, call McVCIS. It is the Multi-Court Voice Case Information System. Key in a case number or debtor name. The system reads back Hilo bankruptcy records basic info. No sign-up.
Filing Fees and Chapters for Hilo Debtors
Hilo debtors pick a chapter based on debt type and income. Most pick Chapter 7 or Chapter 13. Chapter 7 is a full wipe of most unsecured debt. Chapter 13 is a plan of three to five years. Chapter 11 is for business reorganizations or very high-debt cases. Chapter 12 is only for family farmers and fishermen with regular income, and the Big Island has many qualifying Chapter 12 filers due to its farm and fishing base.
Current fees are $338 for Chapter 7, $1,738 for Chapter 11, $278 for Chapter 12, and $313 for Chapter 13. Only money orders, cashier's checks, or pay.gov online payments are taken. Personal checks do not work. Hilo debtors with income below 150% of the federal poverty line may ask for a full waiver under 28 U.S.C. ยง 1930(f) using Form 103B.
A Chapter 7 means test checks income if most debt is consumer debt. See the full Chapter 7 checklist at:
The full filing requirements for Chapter 7 Hilo bankruptcy records sit at hib.uscourts.gov/chapter-7-filing-requirements, and Chapter 13 is at hib.uscourts.gov/chapter-13-filing-requirements.
For the current fee schedule, check hib.uscourts.gov/filing-fees. Fees change.
341 Meeting for Hilo Bankruptcy Filers
Every Hilo case has a 341 meeting. Section 341 of the Bankruptcy Code sets it up. The trustee runs the meeting and asks the debtor questions under oath. Most 341 meetings in Hawaii now happen on Zoom, which helps Big Island debtors a lot. No flight needed.
Bankruptcy Rule 2003 sets the timing. Chapter 7 meetings happen 21 to 40 days after the petition is filed. Chapter 13 meetings happen 21 to 50 days after filing. Hilo debtors must mail ID and proof of Social Security number to the trustee at least seven days before the meeting. Creditors may attend the 341 meeting but do not have to.
The Zoom ID for general Hawaii bankruptcy hearings is 161 789 3766, passcode 1132. The call-in line is (833) 568-8864. Recording a remote session is not allowed. The trustees who handle Hilo bankruptcy records include Dane Field, Nima Ghazvini, Elizabeth Kane, and Richard Yanagi. Full details are at hib.uscourts.gov/meeting-creditors. The national U.S. Trustee page is justice.gov/ust.
Getting Copies of Hilo Bankruptcy Records
Hilo debtors and the public can ask the Clerk's Office in Honolulu for plain or certified copies of Hilo bankruptcy records. Email requests go to copies@hib.uscourts.gov. Mail goes to 1132 Bishop Street, Suite 250, Honolulu, HI 96813. Phone is (808) 522-8100. The clerk sends an invoice. Payment comes by money order, cashier's check, or certified check. Cash is not taken.
Lead-in to the court calendar, which shows upcoming hearings tied to Hilo bankruptcy records:
For more on hearing access and document procedures for Hilo bankruptcy records, see hib.uscourts.gov/chapter-7-filing-requirements and the full calendar at hib.uscourts.gov/court-calendars.
A debtor can ask for a scanned PDF of a document in their own case at no fee, up to two documents per request. Paper copies carry the per-page fee. Certified copies for banks or title companies use Form 2650. The full copy request process is at hib.uscourts.gov/copies-documents. Hilo bankruptcy records from before 1998 may be at the San Francisco Federal Records Center. Forms are at hib.uscourts.gov/forms.
Note: Hawaii's Uniform Information Practices Act, HRS Chapter 92F, covers state records, but Hilo bankruptcy records are federal and follow federal access rules, not state law.
Hawaii County Bankruptcy Records
Hilo is the county seat of Hawaii County. The county page covers the full Third Circuit, local court procedures, and Big Island record offices. Go to the county page for all of Hawaii County.
Other Hawaii Cities with Pages
Hilo is the only Big Island city with its own page. Other Hawaii cities file bankruptcy through the same federal court in Honolulu. Pick a nearby city for local court and clerk info.