OFFICE OF CHILD SUPPORT HEARINGS
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The Office of Child Support Hearings was established in 1988 to provide a fair and impartial administrative forum for the prompt resolution of child support disputes. Since then, the Office of Child Support Hearings has provided administrative hearings for child support matters as a division of the Department of the Attorney General.
The Office of Child Support Hearings continues its efforts to improve the adjudication of child support matters through the contested case hearings and uncontested case processes, pursuant to the directives of Governor Linda Lingle and Lt. Governor James Aiona, together with initiatives implemented by Attorney General Mark Bennett.
We believe children should have the financial support of both parents. Our efforts to help the families of Hawaii will be guided by our primary responsibilities of fairness and impartiality.
The Office of Child Support Hearings (OCSH) conducts administrative hearings to obtain, enforce, or change a child support order. The Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA) initiates all cases heard by the OCSH. This administrative forum is an alternative to Family Court legal proceedings for child support matters only.
OCSH conducts administrative hearings regarding child support pursuant to Chapters 91 and 576E of the Hawaii Revised Statutes when parties (parents or guardians) object to a proposed action or order of the Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA).
Parties can represent themselves, have a friend or relative represent them, or hire an attorney to represent them.
OCSH also issues final administrative orders when parties don’t object to a proposed administrative order or action of the CSEA. These are called uncontested administrative orders.
OCSH administrative orders have the same force and effect as Family Court orders for establishing, modifying, terminating or enforcing child support obligations.