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HRS §353-23

What happens to property after a criminal arrest

This section says that if a person is arrested for a crime and then gives away or leaves property through a will or other transfer, that property cannot be used to avoid paying damages to someone they hurt. The only exception is if the property was sold for fair value to someone who did not know about the arrest.

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The statute, as written — Disposition of property subject to action for damages

No disposition of any estate, either by will or otherwise, after the arrest for crime of which the committed person was convicted, whether the sentence is for life or otherwise, shall have any advantage or preference over the claim of any person entitled to damages for a private injury committed by the criminal, unless the disposition was made for a valuable and equivalent consideration to a person ignorant of the arrest.
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.