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HRS §577-4

Stepparent duty to support a stepchild

A stepparent who acts like a parent must support their stepchild while the child lives with them, but only if the legal parents have abandoned the child or can't support them and the child is in real need.

parents

The statute, as written — Stepparent; when required to support stepchild

A stepparent who acts in loco parentis is bound to provide, maintain, and support the stepparent's stepchild during the residence of the child with the stepparent if the legal parents desert the child or are unable to support the child, thereby reducing the child to destitute and necessitous circumstances.
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.