Haw. R. App. P. 39

As amended through June 28, 2024
Rule 39 - Costs and Attorney's Fees
(a)Civil costs; to whom allowed. Except in criminal cases or as otherwise provided by law, if an appeal or petition is dismissed, costs shall be taxed against the appellant or petitioner upon proper application unless otherwise agreed by the parties or ordered by the appellate court; if a judgment is affirmed or a petition denied, costs shall be taxed against the appellant or petitioner unless otherwise ordered; if a judgment is reversed or a petition granted, costs shall be taxed against the appellee or the respondent unless otherwise ordered; if a judgment is affirmed in part and reversed in part, or is vacated, or a petition granted in part and denied in part, the costs shall be allowed only as ordered by the appellate court. If the side against whom costs are assessed has multiple parties, the appellate court may apportion the assessment or impose it jointly and severally.
(b)Costs for and against the State of Hawai'i. In cases involving the State of Hawai'i or an agency or officer thereof, if an award of costs against the State is authorized by law, costs shall be awarded in accordance with the provisions of this Rule; otherwise costs shall not be awarded for or against the State of Hawai'i, its agencies, or its officers acting in their official capacities.
(c)Costs defined. Costs in the appellate courts are defined as: (1) the cost of the original and one copy of the reporter's transcripts if necessary for the determination of the appeal; (2) the premiums paid for supersedeas bonds or other bonds to preserve rights pending appeal; (3) the fee for filing the appeal; (4) the cost of printing or otherwise producing necessary copies of briefs and appendices, provided that copying costs shall not exceed 20¢ per page; (5) necessary postage, cost of facsimiles, intrastate travel, long distance telephone charges; and (6) any other costs authorized by statute or rule.
(d)Request for Fees and Costs; Objections.
(1) A party who desires an award of attorney's fees and costs shall request them by submitting an itemized and verified bill of fees and costs, together with a statement of authority for each category of items and, where appropriate, copies of invoices, bills, vouchers, and receipts. Requests for indigent fees and necessary expenses shall be submitted in a form that substantially complies with Form 7 in the Appendix of Forms and shall be accompanied by a copy of the order appointing counsel. Requests for non-indigent attorney's fees and costs allowed by statute or contract shall be submitted in a form that substantially complies with Form 8 in the Appendix of Forms. A failure to provide authority for the award of attorney's fees and costs or necessary expenses will result in denial of that request.
(2) A request for fees and costs or necessary expenses is more appropriately filed in the court where the work was performed. A request for an appellate court to award fees and costs or necessary expenses must be filed with the appellate clerk, with proof of service, no later than 14 days after the time for filing a motion for reconsideration has expired or the motion for reconsideration has been decided. An untimely request for fees and costs or necessary expenses may be denied.
(3) Attorneys appointed to represent indigent persons may submit a request for attorney's fees and necessary expenses, as provided by statute, after briefing is completed. Requests for fees and necessary expenses by counsel appointed to represent indigent persons may be held in abeyance until resolution of the case on the merits. If oral argument is had or additional work is performed thereafter, the attorney may submit a request for additional fees and necessary expenses.
(4) Objections to requests for fees and costs must be filed with the appellate clerk, with proof of service, within 10 days after service on the party against whom the fees and costs are to be taxed unless the time is extended by the appellate court. A reply to the objections must be filed with the appellate clerk, with proof of service, within 7 days after service of the objections on the initiating party.

Haw. R. App. P. 39

Amended February 28, 1994, effective 2/28/1994; further amended September 11, 1996, effective 10/15/1996; further amended December 6, 1999, effective 1/1/2000; further amended October 6, 2003, effective 1/1/2004; further amended May 12, 2005, effective 7/1/2005; further amended June 20, 2006, effective 7/1/2006; further amended March 2, 2007, effective 7/1/2007; further amended October 13, 2015, effective 1/1/2016.