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HRS §291D-12

Judge's powers in traffic and fireworks cases

This section explains what a district court judge can do when hearing traffic, emergency period, or fireworks cases. The judge can hold hearings, impose fines, allow community service, dismiss cases, suspend or reinstate licenses, and issue warrants. The judge cannot block someone's vehicle registration or title for unpaid fines.

courts

The statute, as written — Powers of the district court judge sitting in the traffic, emergency period, and fireworks division

(a) A district court judge sitting in the traffic, emergency period, and fireworks division and hearing cases pursuant to this chapter shall have all the powers of a district court judge under chapter 604, including the power to: (1) Conduct traffic infraction, emergency period infraction, and fireworks infraction hearings and impose monetary assessments; (2) Permit deferral of monetary assessment or impose community service in lieu thereof; (3) Dismiss a notice of traffic infraction, notice of emergency period infraction, or notice of fireworks infraction, with or without prejudice, or set aside a judgment for the State; (4) Order temporary driver's license suspension or driver's license reinstatement; (5) Approve the issuance or renewal of a driver's license or instruction permit pursuant to section 286-109(c); (6) Issue penal summonses and bench warrants and initiate contempt of court proceedings in proceedings conducted pursuant to section 291D-13; (7) Issue penal summonses and bench warrants and initiate failure to appear proceedings in proceedings conducted pursuant to section 291D-5(d)(10); and (8) Exercise other powers the court finds necessary and appropriate to carry out the purposes of this chapter. (b) A district court judge sitting in the traffic, emergency period, and fireworks division and hearing cases pursuant to this chapter shall not order the director of finance to withhold issuing or renewing the driver's license, or registering, renewing the registration of, or issuing the title to a motor vehicle, of any person who has not paid a monetary assessment, has not performed community service in lieu thereof, or has not otherwise satisfied a judgment for the State entered pursuant to this chapter.
Read the official text at capitol.hawaii.gov ↗as published Jan 6, 2026our copy taken Aug 20, 2026

Sections this one refers to

§286-109 Getting a driver's license and what goes on it

§291D-13 When you can get a trial and how it works

§291D-5 What a traffic ticket must say and what happens if you ignore it

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