Hawaii Divorce Law -
What to Expect When Help Yourself Divorce Prepares Your Hawaii Divorce

Grounds for Divorce.
If Help Yourself Divorce prepares your divorce paperwork, your divorce will be granted based on the ground that there has been an irretrievable breakdown on the marriage.

 

Residency Requirements.
To file for divorce in Hawaii using our services, at least one spouse must have lived in the state of Hawaii for at least six months, and in the particular circuit where the divorce will be filed for at least three months, prior to filing the papers with the court.

If you and your spouse have minor children, the court must have jurisdiction over them. Generally this means your children must have lived in Hawaii for at least six months and currently live in Hawaii, or have lived in Hawaii within six months of filing.

 

Filing for Divorce.
You can file your divorce either in the Hawaii circuit where the plaintiff lives, or in the circuit where the couple last resided together.

 

Service.
You'll "serve" the divorce papers on your spouse by mailing or hand-delivering them. Your spouse will need to sign a waiver and file it with the court, stating that he or she received the papers.

 

Waiting Period/Finalizing Your Divorce.
There is no specific waiting period under Hawaii law before your divorce can be finalized. How long it takes after you file the papers will just depend on the schedule of the court. There will probably not be a final divorce hearing. If the court has any questions for you, they may ask to speak with you. Otherwise, a judge will just review your paperwork, sign your final decree, and mail it back to you. When you receive the signed decree back from the judge, that means your divorce is final.

 

 

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IMPORTANT: Help Yourself Divorce is a paralegal service, not a law firm. Seek help from an attorney if you need legal advice.