Honolulu First Circuit Court Document Format Requirements

Margins

top 1 in, bottom 1 in, left 1 in, right 1 in

Conventionally filed pleadings and documents must use specified paper, margins, font, spacing, numbering, binding, and black-ink requirements.

All pleadings and documents to be filed shall be typewritten, printed, photocopied, or otherwise similarly prepared by a duplication process that will produce clear and permanent copies equally legible to printing. Conventionally filed documents shall be printed upon unruled, opaque, unglazed white paper of standard quality not less than 13 pound weight, 8 1/2 x 11 inches in size. Each sheet shall have a margin at the top and bottom of 1 inch (except as otherwise provided in paragraph (c) of this Rule). The left-hand and right-hand side margin shall be not less than 1 inch and documents shall be typewritten in heavily inked black ribbon or printed in black. The type shall be standard 12 point pica or equivalent. For conventionally filed documents, copies, but not originals, may be two-sided. The lines on each page shall be double-spaced or one and one-half spaced; provided, however, descriptions of real property, and quotations, may be single spaced. All pages shall be numbered consecutively at the bottom. Conventionally filed documents shall be firmly bound together at the top and exhibits may be fastened to pages of the specified size. Documents, when prepared by a machine-copying process, shall be equal to typewritten material in legibility and permanency of image. Conventional signatures and all other handwritten entries on documents shall be in black ink.

Format

PDF

Supporting exhibits must be scanned or created as PDFs and may not exceed 10 megabytes each.

Each supporting exhibit, including photographs, shall be scanned or created as a PDF document. The size of each exhibit shall be no greater than 10 megabytes.

Format

PDF

Documents filed through JEFS must be submitted in PDF format.

a JEFS User shall file each document as a PDF document through JEFS for docketing and storage in JIMS,

Margins

top 3 in

The first page of a pleading must have either a three-inch top margin or a three-inch-by-three-inch space in the upper-right corner for an electronic file stamp.

The first page of the pleadings shall have either a 3-inch top margin or a 3-inch-by-3-inch space in the top right corner, to accommodate an electronic file stamp.

A motion or stipulation to amend must include the entire proposed amended pleading in Ramseyer format without incorporation by reference; the granted pleading must be filed without Ramseyer markings and served immediately.

A motion or stipulation to amend a pleading shall be accompanied by the proposed amended pleading in Ramseyer formatting (additions underscored and deletions bracketed and stricken). A party filing or moving to file an amended pleading shall reproduce the entire pleading as proposed and shall not incorporate any part of the prior pleading by reference, except with leave of court. If granted or allowed, the amended pleading shall be filed, with Ramseyer formatting removed, and served forthwith.

The proposed order in the streamlined discovery procedure must comply with RCCH 23.

The order must be prepared as as required by RCCH 23.

Format

PDF

JEFS accepts PDF files only, and a JEFS user's self-prepared document must be converted to PDF.

Please note that the Judiciary Electronic Filing System (JEFS) accepts document files in PDF format only. If you create your own document, you must convert it to a PDF file if you are a JEFS User.

Format

PAPER

Non-JEFS users must print, sign, and date a hard copy and submit it to the Legal Documents Branch clerk for filing.

If you are not a JEFS User, you must print a hard copy of your document, sign and date the document, and then submit it to the Legal Documents Branch clerk for filing.

Format

PDF

JEFS users must submit the document in PDF format, and any self-created document must be converted to PDF.

The Judiciary Electronic Filing System (JEFS) accepts document files in PDF format only. If you create your own document, you must convert it to a PDF file if you are a JEFS User.

A self-represented party who is not a JEFS user must handwrite the signature in black ink and may not use an electronic signature.

Self-represented parties who are not JEFS Users cannot use an electronic signature and must handwrite their signature in black ink only.

Format

PDF

Documents submitted through JEFS must be in PDF format.

Please note that the Judiciary Electronic Filing System (JEFS) accepts document files in PDF format only.

A self-represented party that is not a JEFS User must handwrite its signature in black ink and cannot use an electronic signature.

Self-represented parties who are not JEFS Users cannot use an electronic signature and must handwrite their signature in black ink only.

Documents may not have flyleaves or backs and must be neat, legible, and free of interlineations.

No flyleaf shall be attached to any document. No flyleaf shall be attached to any document. All documents shall be filed without backs and shall be neat, clean, legible and free of interlineations.

Margins

top 3 in

The first page must reserve a blank top-right area of at least three inches for the clerk and electronic file stamp.

The space at the top right of the center of the page shall contain at least a 3-inch top margin to be left blank for the use of the clerk of the court, including for affixing the electronic file stamp;

A party may prepare an alternative document only in substantially the same format as the official forms.

The forms can be filled out and printed through Adobe Acrobat. Alternatively, you may prepare your own document in substantially the same format as the official forms.

The document must be typed or printed in black ink only.

Make sure to type or print in black ink only.

The filer must provide contact information in the upper-left corner and identify as the plaintiff if unrepresented.

Print or type your name, address, telephone number, and email address in the top left corner. If you are not represented by an attorney, identify yourself as the Plaintiff under your address information.

Required

Always

The court and circuit must appear in centered text at least three inches from the top of the page.

Fill in the name of the court and the number of the circuit in which your case is filed in the center of the page. “IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF the _______ CIRCUIT” The name of the court must be centered on the page and not less than 3 inches from the top.

An unrepresented filer who is not a registered JEFS user must sign with a black-ink pen.

If you are not represented by an attorney and are not a registered JEFS User, you must sign with a black ink pen.

A registered JEFS user must sign electronically by affixing a signature in the specified /s/ format.

If you are a registered JEFS User, sign the document by affixing your signature as “/s/____________” (For example, /s/ Jane Doe).

The court name must be centered on the page and placed no less than 3 inches from the top.

The name of the court must be centered on the page and not less than 3 inches from the top.

The certificate must be typed or printed in black ink only.

1. Make sure to type or print in black ink only.

The document must be signed and dated with the signing city stated, and an unrepresented non-JEFS filer must sign in black ink.

Sign and date the document, and type or print the city in which you signed the document. If you are not represented by an attorney and are not a registered JEFS User, you must sign with a black ink pen.

The Joint Report must be typed or printed in black ink only.

General Instructions: 1. Make sure to type or print in black ink only.

A party may use the official online form or prepare a document in substantially the same format.

You may use the forms available online or prepare your own document in substantially the same format as the official forms.

The official forms are available on the Judiciary website and may be completed and printed using Adobe Acrobat.

Please note that this and other forms are available on the Judiciary’s website. The forms can be filled out and printed through Adobe Acrobat.