§604-5  Civil jurisdiction.  (a)  Except
as otherwise provided, the district courts shall have jurisdiction in all civil
actions where the debt, amount, damages, or value of the property claimed does
not exceed $25,000, except in civil actions involving summary possession or
ejectment, in which case the district court shall have jurisdiction over any
counterclaim otherwise properly brought by any defendant in the action if the
counterclaim arises out of and refers to the land or premises the possession of
which is being sought, regardless of the value of the debt, amount, damages, or
property claim contained in the counterclaim.  Attorney's commissions or fees,
including those stipulated in any note or contract sued on, interest, and
costs, shall not be included in computing the jurisdictional amount.  Subject
to subsections (b) and (c), jurisdiction under this subsection shall be
exclusive when the amount in controversy, so computed, does not exceed
$10,000.  The district courts shall also have original jurisdiction of suits
for specific performance when the fair market value of such specific
performance does not exceed $20,000 and original jurisdiction to issue
injunctive relief in residential landlord-tenant cases under chapter 521.



(b)  The district courts shall try and
determine all actions without a jury, subject to appeal according to law. 
Whenever a civil matter is triable of right by a jury and trial by jury is
demanded in the manner and within the time provided by the rules of court, the
case shall be transferred to the circuit court.  If the demand is made in the
complaint and the matter is triable of right by a jury, the action may be
commenced in the circuit court if the amount in controversy exceeds $5,000.



(c)  The district courts shall have jurisdiction
in all statutory proceedings as conferred by law upon district courts.



(d)  The district courts shall not have
cognizance of real actions, nor actions in which the title to real estate comes
in question, nor actions for libel, slander, defamation of character, malicious
prosecution, false imprisonment, breach of promise of marriage, or seduction;
nor shall they have power to appoint referees in any cause. [L 1892, c 57, §10;
am L 1923, c 20, §1; RL 1925, §2274; RL 1935, §3763; am L 1935, c 95, §1; RL
1945, §9674; am L 1953, c 34, §1; RL 1955, §216-4; am L 1957, c 197, §1; am L
1963, c 99, §1; HRS §604-5; am L 1970, c 188, §13; am L 1971, c 144, §1; am L
1975, c 97, §2; am L 1979, c 90, §2; am L 1983, c 238, §1 and c 249, §1; am L
1989, c 37, §2; am L 1994, c 4, §1; am L 1995, c 94, §1; am L 2008, c 69, §1]



 



Cross References



 



  Actions for tax collections, see §231-12.



 



Rules of Court



 



  Demand for jury trial, see DCRCP rule 38; RCC rule 14.



  Pleading that raises question of title to real estate, see
DCRCP rule 12.1.



  Demand for jury trial, small claims division, see RSCD rule
7.



 



Case Notes



 



  Jury trial allowed on appeal satisfies 7th Am. U.S. Const. 14
H. 291.  Prior to 1903, appeal stayed execution.  14 H. 524.  Since, magistrate
may allow execution, after hearing, unless supersedeas bond is filed.  15 H.
590; 15 H. 624.



  Jurisdiction:  Determined by ad damnum.  3 H. 127, 138.  Part
penalty of bond.  13 H. 695.  Part due on note.  18 H. 412.  Part due for goods
etc., but second action cannot be brought for balance.  14 H. 290; 14 H. 295. 
In determining ad damnum, interest, if prayed for, should be included, but not
statutory attorney's commissions or costs, and defect not cured by remittitur
in appellate court.  14 H. 293; 15 H. 590.  Attorney's fees provided in note
are included.  28 H. 480.  On splitting causes of action.  22 H. 196, 199; 40
H. 302.  As to previous jurisdictional amount.  See 6 H. 656.  Cannot include
interest, attorney's fees, and costs in calculating the jurisdictional amount. 
72 H. 228, 814 P.2d 393.



  Limited jurisdiction:  22 H. 129, 132.  Cannot issue alias
summons after return day of original has expired.  25 H. 597, 602.  Plea to
jurisdiction goes to whole cause of action.  24 H. 74, 80.  As to concurrent
jurisdiction, etc., see 3 H. 127; 4 H. 297.  This section applies only to civil
cases.  25 H. 556.  Magistrate cannot enforce specific performance, having no
equity jurisdiction.  10 H. 407; 11 H. 424.  May appoint next friend.  11 H.
279.  May set aside judgment and grant rehearing.  15 H. 424.  No presumption
in favor of jurisdiction, liability for exceeding.  4 H. 584.  Action on
judgment for taxes, 18 H. 278.  Because subsection (d) limits civil
jurisdiction of the district court by excluding real actions or actions
involving title to real property, the only court that may take cognizance of
actions seeking cancellation or forfeiture of appellants' leases is the circuit
court.  74 H. 294, 845 P.2d 1186.



  Summary possession:  9 H. 225.  Denial of tenancy and claim of
title ousts jurisdiction.  4 H. 154; 22 H. 129.  Supreme court rule 14
prescribes essentials of affidavit, showing source, nature and extent of title
claimed.  18 H. 640; 21 H. 270; 22 H. 129; 23 H. 65, 73; 24 H. 176; 24 H. 546,
555; 29 H. 336; 30 H. 160; 37 H. 248.  No evidence necessary to support plea. 
12 H. 409.  Hence, judgment of district court, not decisive in subsequent
ejectment.  3 H. 768.  Vendee on mortgage foreclosure as plaintiff.  5 H. 98. 
If magistrate errs in sustaining plea of title, circuit court should remand.  9
H. 636.  Where on appeal to circuit court after a plea of title on trespass
case from district court it is decided the plea has no merit, case should be
remanded to district court.  9 H. 636.



  Affidavit required by supreme court rule 14 is sufficient if
it sets forth the source, nature, and extent of title claimed by defendant, and
need not set forth source of defendant's predecessors; counter affidavit not
required by rule 14 and should not be considered.  52 H. 246, 473 P.2d 864.



  Trespass, q.c.f., ouster by plea of title.  6 H. 542; 9 H.
619; 17 H. 426.  Maintenance of easement.  11 H. 275; 12 H. 409.  No ouster in
action for purchase money, if vendee's possession undisturbed.  14 H. 280.



  Pleading, rigid rules not required.  3 H. 328; 14 H. 500; 22
H. 91; 23 H. 603, 605; 30 H. 191.  All essential facts must be shown.  24 H.
16, 19.  Absence of prayer for process not demurrable.  24 H. 95.



  The "amount of controversy" for purposes of
subsection (b) is the aggregate amount being sought in a complaint by a single
plaintiff against a single defendant, as opposed to the amount alleged as
damages in each individual "count" of a complaint.  90 H. 371, 978
P.2d 809.



  Where sublessee's counterclaim arose out of and referred to the
land or premises the possession of which was being sought, district court had
jurisdiction to decide counterclaim under this section.  86 H. 149 (App.), 948
P.2d 570.



  $20,000 maximum jurisdictional limit not reached where total
amount for which judgment was sought included interest.  92 H. 209 (App.), 990
P.2d 107.



  Cited:  17 H. 598, 599; 19 H. 346, 347; 27 H. 631, 635; 30 H.
445, 564.