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HRS §703-302

When breaking a law is allowed to avoid a bigger harm

This section explains when a person can break a law to avoid a bigger harm. It only applies if the harm avoided is greater than the harm the law prevents, and no other law already covers the situation. If the person caused the problem by being careless, this defense may not work. For prison escape, special strict rules apply.

everyone

The statute, as written — Choice of evils

(1) Conduct which the actor believes to be necessary to avoid an imminent harm or evil to the actor or to another is justifiable provided that: (a) The harm or evil sought to be avoided by such conduct is greater than that sought to be prevented by the law defining the offense charged; (b) Neither the Code nor other law defining the offense provides exceptions or defenses dealing with the specific situation involved; and (c) A legislative purpose to exclude the justification claimed does not otherwise plainly appear. (2) When the actor was reckless or negligent in bringing about the situation requiring a choice of harms or evils or in appraising the necessity for the actor's conduct, the justification afforded by this section is unavailable in a prosecution for any offense for which recklessness or negligence, as the case may be, suffices to establish culpability. (3) In a prosecution for escape under section 710-1020 or 710-1021, the defense available under this section is limited to an affirmative defense consisting of the following elements: (a) The actor receives a threat, express or implied, of death, substantial bodily injury, or forcible sexual attack; (b) Complaint to the proper prison authorities is either impossible under the circumstances or there exists a history of futile complaints; (c) Under the circumstances there is no time or opportunity to resort to the courts; (d) No force or violence is used against prison personnel or other innocent persons; and (e) The actor promptly reports to the proper authorities when the actor has attained a position of safety from the immediate threat.
Read the official text at capitol.hawaii.gov ↗as published Jan 6, 2026our copy taken Aug 20, 2026

Sections this one refers to

§710-1020 Escaping with force or a weapon

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