A letter to our valued clients and colleagues regarding the COVID-19 coronavirus

March 17, 2020

At Doi/Luke, the safety and well-being of our employees and our clients during the COVID-19 crisis are of utmost priority. Over the coming weeks, we may be taking steps to limit exposure to the virus. This may include substituting in-person meetings with phone meetings or videoconference calls. Regarding videoconferencing, we will likely be using FaceTime or Zoom, depending on each person’s technology.

Many of our people may be working from home temporarily, and may try to reach you by way of Google Voice numbers or cell phones, which thus may appear as unfamiliar numbers on your caller ID. Understandably, you may not answer, and we will either leave a voicemail or text, with follow up instructions.

Regarding court hearings, you may or may not have already received the most recent Court order (the Hawaii Supreme Court Chief Justice’s Order linked here, and the updated First Circuit Family Court-specific update linked here) regarding the Family Court, which postpones all divorce (FC-D) and paternity (FC-P) hearings, as well as most temporary restraining orders (TROs), guardianship, and adoption hearings to after April 30, 2020. Certain hearings will continue to be held, specifically, hearings emergency Child Welfare Service matters and juvenile matters when a juvenile is being held in custody. If you are uncertain about the status of your upcoming hearing, please call or email us, and we will confirm things for you (the Hawaii Judiciary’s COVID-19 updates page, which includes information on the other islands/Circuits is linked here).

Please take steps to safeguard yourself and your friends and loved ones. There may be disruptions to the normal process of things and our lives, but we will get through it if we act with thought, kindness, and patience. Be safe.

Your friends at Doi/Luke, Islandlawyers