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HRS §560:3-720

Paying legal costs in a will dispute

If someone defending or challenging a will in court acts in good faith, the estate can pay their reasonable legal costs and fees, even if they lose. This applies to the personal representative, a nominated representative, or an heir or beneficiary when the representative refuses to act.

beneficiariesheirspersonal representatives

The statute, as written — Expenses in estate litigation

If any personal representative or person nominated as personal representative, or an heir or beneficiary if a personal representative or person nominated as a personal representative refuses to act, defends or prosecutes any proceeding regarding the validity of a will in good faith, whether successful or not, that person shall be entitled to receive from the estate reasonable costs, expenses, and disbursements, including reasonable attorneys' fees, regardless of whether counsel has been retained on a contingency fee basis.
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.