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HRS §172-5

Hearing and foreclosure for unpaid commutation

This section covers what happens in court when you owe commutation on land. If you don't pay what the court orders within 30 days, the state can sell your property at auction. After the sale, you lose all right to get the property back.

landowners

The statute, as written — Hearing, foreclosure

If in any case, an appearance is entered and answer filed, the cause shall be set down for hearing on the motion of either party, but an order of default may first be entered against all persons who do not appear and answer in the manner provided in section 172-4. If on the trial of the cause it appears that commutation is due the State on the land in question, or in case of an order of default having been entered, the judge may make an order that unless the amount of the commutation, together with all costs accrued, is paid within thirty days, the property or so much thereof as may be necessary, shall be sold at public auction to the highest bidder to satisfy the government's lien for commutation, together with interest, costs of appraisement, the costs of publication of the notice herein provided for, costs of court and of sale, and that the owner or owners of the property and their predecessors in title shall be forever foreclosed and barred from any right to redeem the property so sold.
Read the official text at capitol.hawaii.gov ↗as published Jan 6, 2026our copy taken Aug 20, 2026

LawTrove is not legal advice. The summary above is a computer-generated restatement — the authoritative text is the official version linked above.