HRS §577-4
Stepparent duty to support a stepchild
Read the official text at capitol.hawaii.gov ↗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 copy, taken August 20, 2026. The version published by the Legislature is the one that governs, and it may have changed since. Check it before relying on anything here.
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.
LawTrove is not legal advice. The summary above is a computer-generated restatement — the authoritative text is the official version linked above.