STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1169-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   S.B. No. 2785

      S.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 2785, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DISTRICT COURT JURISDICTION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to increase, from $20,000 to $30,000, the maximum amount of debt, amount, damages, or value of the property claimed in civil actions over which district courts have jurisdiction.

     The Collection Law Section of the Hawaii State Bar Association offered comments.

     Your Committee acknowledges that the maximum civil action value amount for district court jurisdiction has not been changed in many years.  Your Committee is concerned, however, that raising the jurisdiction amount may result in further overloading the district court system.  No testimony was received from the Judiciary on this measure, and your Committee hopes that some input from those in a position to assess the potential impact of this measure on the court system will be provided by the Judiciary to the Committee on Finance.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2785, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,

____________________________

TOMMY WATERS, Chair