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HRS §803-3

When a bystander can arrest someone without a warrant

This section says that if you see someone committing a crime, you can arrest them yourself without a warrant. It applies to any person who is present at the crime. This is a narrow rule about citizen's arrests.

everyone

The statute, as written — By person present

Anyone in the act of committing a crime, may be arrested by any person present, without a warrant. [PC 1869, c 49, §3; RL 1925, §3969; RL 1935, §5402; RL 1945, §10703; RL 1955, §255-3; HRS §708-3; ren L 1972, c 9, pt of §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.