If You or a Family Member Filed a Claim With the Hawaiian Home Lands Trust Individual Claims Review Panel On Or Before August 31, 1995, You May Be Entitled to Receive a Settlement Payment as a Class Member or as an Heir/Devisee of a Deceased Class Member.
Information for Heirs and Devisees of Deceased Class Member Estates
Payments to heirs and devisees of Deceased Class Member Estates have commenced.
Payments larger than $25,000, being mailed to a residential address will be sent via USPS Priority Mail with Signature Required.
All payments smaller than $25,000, and all payments being mailed to a PO Box will be sent via USPS Priority Mail.
Payments will be sent on an ongoing basis in the order the Probate Court approves the petitions and the appeal period expires. Please be patient.
Settlement Payments Sent to Deceased Class Members
In accordance with the Probate Plan and with the approval of the Probate Court, the Claims Administrator is now authorized to send payments to the heirs and beneficiaries of this Settlement in accordance with the filed Probate Court Orders. Payments are expected to commence in October 2024.
If you are a family member or potential heir/devisee of a Deceased Class Member, please read this letter. Additional information for those who are potentially entitled to receive proceeds of Deceased Class Members may be found in the Probate section of the Documents page and the Deceased Class Members Info page.
Settlement Payments Sent to Living Class Members
Checks were initially sent to Living Class Members on November 21, 2023. The Claims Administrator is reissuing checks where necessary because of name changes, wrong addresses, and other related issues. All checks will become stale and cannot be cashed 120 days from the date they are issued. Please click here for information on how to request a reissue of the check or to report that you have not received your check.
If you have already cashed your settlement check, please make sure to update your contact information if it changes by contacting the Claims Administrator.
Deceased Class Member Information Forms
It is essential to have complete information regarding possible heirs and devisees of Deceased Class Members. Payments cannot be made without this information. If you are a family member or devisee of a Deceased Class Member and have not already done so, please complete and submit a Deceased Class Member Information Request Form and a Detailed Family Information Form as soon as possible.
The Information Request Form may be filled in online or downloaded, completed, and mailed or emailed back to the Claims Administrator.
The Detailed Family Information Form must be downloaded, completed, and mailed or emailed back to the Claims Administrator.
Please complete both forms. This information is needed to process the probate petitions to distribute payments to relatives of Deceased Class Members. Probate petitions will not be completed until both forms are received. Complete the forms to avoid further delays.
Monday, April 28, 2025, 5-6 pm Talk Story:
Talk Story sessions with attorneys are being held via Zoom on an occasional basis. Please continue to check this site for future dates. These Talk Story sessions are intended to provide updates on the case and allow attendees to ask questions of the lawyers, Probate Special Master, and Probate Special Counsel directly. Please see below on how to attend these sessions.
General Information About This Lawsuit
The Class Members for this Settlement are “All persons who filed claims with the Hawaiian Home Lands Trust Individual Claims Review Panel on or before August 31, 1995.”
The Following Persons Will Not Receive a Settlement Payment
- Individuals who did not file a claim with the Panel on or before August 31, 1995.
- Individuals who filed a timely claim with the Panel but the claim did not assert an individual breach of trust which occurred between August 21, 1959, and June 30, 1988.
- Individuals who filed a timely claim with the Panel but the claim asserted an individual breach of trust that occurred after June 30, 1988.
- Individuals who filed a timely claim with the Panel but the claim was not a valid HRS Chapter 674 claim.
- Individuals who filed a timely claim with the Panel but settled their claim.
- Individuals who opted out of the Lawsuit in response to the 2007 class notice.
- Individuals who opted out of the Lawsuit in response to the 2012 class notice.
- Individuals who opt out of the Settlement Class and this Settlement by sending a valid and timely Opt-Out Letter to the Claims Administrator.
If you have some other legal claim involving Hawaiian Home Lands issues, you are not part of this Lawsuit. You may call the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation at 1-808-521-2302 or the Hawai'i Association for Justice at 1-808-262-9191 for information about issues that are not related to this Lawsuit.
NOTICE: The attorneys and other people working on this case will never ask you for your banking or other financial information. You may be asked to verify your identity.
Please do not call the Judge, the Clerk of the Court, or the State of Hawai'i about this case. They will not be able to give you advice about this case. If you have questions, please call 1-808-650-5551 or 1-833-639-1308 (Toll-Free).