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HRS §657-21.5

Pausing the deadline to sue a convicted criminal

This section pauses the time limit for a crime victim, their close family, or their estate to sue the person convicted of the crime. The pause lasts from when the lawsuit could start until the criminal is released from prison, parole, or probation. It only applies to certain serious crimes.

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The statute, as written — Extension by sentencing of criminal defendant

Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, for any victim of a particular crime, for surviving immediate family members of a victim, or for the estate of a victim, the statute of limitations for any civil cause of action against a person convicted of that crime shall be tolled from the moment the civil cause of action arises until the person convicted of that crime is released from imprisonment, released from parole, or released from probation and is no longer under the jurisdiction of the court for that crime, if: (1) The crime upon which the civil action is based is a felony; or (2) The victim of the crime upon which the civil action is based is the victim of a "sexually violent offense" or a "criminal offense against a victim who is a minor", as defined by section 846E-1.
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.