§571-3  Family courts, divisions of circuit courts.  The family courts shall be divisions of the circuit courts of the State and shall not be deemed to be other courts as that term is used in the State Constitution.  A family court shall be held at the courthouse in each circuit, or other duly designated place, by the judge or judges of the respective family courts as herein defined.  The chief justice of the supreme court may temporarily assign a family court judge to preside in another circuit when the urgency of one or more cases requires the chief justice to do so.  In any case in which it has jurisdiction the court shall exercise general equity powers as authorized by law. [L 1965, c 232, pt of §1; Supp, §333-3; HRS §571-3; am L 1973, c 211, §1(a); am L 1979, c 111, §20; gen ch 1985]

Cross References

  Courts, see Const. Art. VI, §1.

Rules of Court

  Applicability, see HRCP rules 1, 81; HRPP rules 1, 54; RCC rules 31, 32.

Case Notes

  As family courts are divisions of, and not separate and distinct courts from, the circuit courts of this State, error misidentifying indictment as a family court criminal matter was harmless.  104 H. 311 (App.), 88 P.3d 683 (2004).