§580-46  Final judgment; nunc pro tunc entry; validation of certain marriages.  Whenever either party to a divorce action is entitled to a final decree dissolving the bonds of matrimony, but by mistake, negligence, or inadvertence the final decree has not been entered, the court on motion of either party or upon its own motion may cause a final decree to be entered granting the divorce as of the date when the decree could have been entered.  Upon the entry of the final decree, the parties to the divorce action shall be deemed to have been restored to the status of single persons as of the date set forth in the final decree, and any marriage of either party after such date shall not be subject to attack on the grounds that the marriage was contracted at a time when the party was undivorced in the divorce action.  The court may cause a final decree to be entered nunc pro tunc as provided in this section even though another final decree may have been entered previously but by mistake, negligence, or inadvertence was not entered as soon as a final decree could have been entered. [L 1967, c 76, §4; HRS §580-46]

Case Notes

  Distinction between court's power to enter judgments nunc pro tunc and power to amend judgments discussed.  53 H. 123, 488 P.2d 537 (1971).