§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.