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HRS §571-31.2

What happens when a child is first referred to juvenile court

When a child is referred to juvenile court, the court or agency must tell the parents or guardians, and may require the child and family to come in for counseling. They decide whether to divert the case, release the child, or take other steps. They must also track and report diverted cases.

childrencourtsguardiansparents

The statute, as written — Juvenile intake and diagnostic services

(a) The court or other designated agency shall: (1) Notify the child's parent, guardian[,] or legal custodian or take reasonable action to ensure that such notice has been given; (2) Require the child, the child's parent, the child's guardian or legal custodian, or both, to appear at the court or other designated agency as soon as practicable for a family counseling session to attempt a quick resolution of their problem; [and] (3) Investigate, evaluate, make necessary determination, and take appropriate actions regarding: (A) Diversion from justice system processing, formal or informal, and closure of the case; (B) Release of a child to the care of the child's parent or other responsible adult; (C) Extending to or making arrangement for the securing of suitable informal adjustment under section 571-31.4, 571-31.5 or 571-31.6; (D) Initiation of the filing of a complaint or petition; (E) Detention of a child, utilizing the standard set out in section 571-31.1 or temporary shelter in a nonsecure shelter; and (F) Making such other informal disposition as may be suitable. (b) If the intake officer believes it desirable, [the] officer may take action to obtain the child or the written promise of a parent, guardian, or legal custodian to take the child to the court or other designated agency as in section 571‑31(c). The failure of a parent, guardian, or other legal custodian to produce the child in court or at the other designated agency as required by an authorized notice may be pursued as provided in section 571-31(d). (c) For cases diverted under subsection (a)(3)(A), intake officers shall compile reports at least monthly enumerating the aggregate number of cases diverted and the types of alleged offenses precipitating the referral of the child to the court. These reports shall be submitted to the administrator of the juvenile client services branch in each judicial circuit, who shall compile the reports into an annual report for each judicial circuit, to be submitted to the board of family court judges and the Hawaii juvenile justice state advisory council.
Read the official text at capitol.hawaii.gov ↗as published Jan 6, 2026our copy taken Aug 20, 2026

Sections this one refers to

§571-31 Taking children into custody; release; notice

§571-31.1 Rules for Detaining a Minor for Community Safety or Welfare

§571-31.4 Informal adjustment for law violators

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