Haw. Rev. Stat. § 666 § 666-9
Return day.
Operative Text
The summons shall be returnable within such time as is fixed by the court in conformity with the rules of court. [CC 1859, §942; am L 1923, c 119, §1; RL 1925, §2782; RL 1935, §4019; RL 1945, §10408; RL 1955, §240-9; HRS §666-9; am L 1971, c 144, §31A]
Hawaii Revised Statutes § 666-9 governs the 'return day' in summary possession (eviction) proceedings, which is the date by which a defendant must appear or respond after being served with a summons. Under this provision, the court sets that return date in accordance with applicable court rules, rather than fixing a rigid statutory deadline. The rule ensures that the timing of eviction summonses follows a consistent, court-supervised framework.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Haw. Rev. Stat. § 666-9, once a landlord initiates a summary possession action, the court — not the landlord — determines the return date on the summons in line with Hawaii's court rules. Operators who file eviction proceedings generally ensure that service of the summons is completed properly and promptly so the court-set schedule can proceed without delay. Familiarity with local district court rules helps property managers understand the typical timeframes involved after a summons is issued.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 666-9 means that when a tenant receives an eviction summons in Hawaii, the date by which they must appear or respond is set by the court according to court rules. Tenants who receive such a summons can review it carefully to identify that return date, as missing it may affect their ability to present a defense. Tenant-rights organizations in Hawaii can help explain what the court-set return day means and what general options exist for responding to a summary possession action.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 23, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
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