FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST'S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER
Electronically Filed
Intermediate Court of Appeals
CAAP-XX-XXXXXXX
10-FEB-2021
07:51 AM
Dkt. 70 OP
IN THE INTERMEDIATE COURT OF APPEALS
OF THE STATE OF HAWAII
---o0o---
JD, Petitioner-Appellee, v.
PD, Respondent-Appellant
CAAP NO. XX-XXXXXXX
APPEAL FROM THE FAMILY COURT OF THE FIRST CIRCUIT
(FC-DA 19-1-2603)
February 10, 2021
HIRAOKA, PRESIDING JUDGE, WADSWORTH AND NAKASONE, JJ.
OPINION OF THE COURT BY NAKASONE, J.
Respondent-Appellant PD (Father), self-represented,
appeals from the December 17, 2019 Judgment of the Family Court
of the First Circuit (family court),1 that granted an Order for
Protection to Petitioner-Appellee JD (Mother) and the couple's
child, RD (Child).
In domestic abuse protective order cases involving a
minor, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS) Chapter 586 requires that
the Department of Human Services (DHS or Department) provide the
1
The Honorable Natasha R. Shaw presided.
FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST'S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER
family court, the petitioner, and the respondent with "a written
report on the disposition of the referral" before issuance of the
protective order. HRS § 586-10.5 (2018).2 The DHS reports
provided to the family court and the parties in this case do not
contain DHS's "disposition" of the referral. Accordingly, we
vacate the Order for Protection and remand this case to the
family court with instructions.
I. BACKGROUND
On November 8, 2019, Mother filed a Petition for an
Order for Protection (Petition) against Father, making several
allegations of domestic abuse of Mother and Child in the form of
physical harm, extreme psychological abuse, threat of imminent
physical harm, bodily injury, and assault. Six allegations of
domestic abuse of Mother and Child were made in the Petition, and
three of those allegations pertinent to this appeal are as
follows:
In Allegation A, Mother claimed that in 2015, "[Father]
sat me down, had my phone and called almost all contacts[,]
slapping my face. [Child] was crying and sitting next to me."
(Allegation A)
In Allegation B, Mother claimed that on November 7,
2019, "Department of Human Services (DHS) Child Welfare Services
(CWS) completed investigation w/ [Child] and [Father]. DHS
removed [Child] from the care of [Father], declaring [Father]
unsafe. On 11/7/19, [Child] was placed in the care of myself,
[Mother]." (Allegation B)
2
HRS § 586-10.5 is set forth in the Discussion section infra.
2
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In Allegation C, Mother claimed that on October 7,
2019, "An active Child Welfare Services (CWS) case #00124600 was
generated alleging threat of abuse and neglect to [Child] by
[Father]. On 10/3/2019 [Child] was seen at Kapiolani Hospital.
It was reported and documented by hospital [sic] visible . . .
bruising across [Child']s backside." (Allegation C)
Upon reviewing the November 8, 2019 Petition, the
family court granted an ex parte temporary restraining order
(TRO) the same day, prohibiting Father from contacting Mother and
Child.3 Along with the issuance of the TRO, the family court
ordered DHS to investigate the matter, submit a report, and
appear to testify at a show-cause hearing4 on Mother's Petition.
A show-cause hearing on Mother's Petition was held on
November 20, 2019. The family court granted Father's request for
a continuance of the hearing to seek legal representation, and
the hearing was continued to December 17, 2019.
At the December 17, 2019 continued show-cause hearing,
Father appeared with an attorney. The family court accepted the
two DHS reports prepared by the DHS social worker, respectively
dated November 18, 2019 and December 17, 2019. Both Father and
3
HRS § 586-4(c) (2018) provides that the family court may issue an
ex parte TRO if there is "probable cause to believe that a past act or acts of
abuse have occurred, or that threats of abuse make it probable that acts of
abuse may be imminent."
4
Under HRS § 586-5(b) (2018), on the earliest date possible, and no
later than fifteen days from the date the TRO is granted, the family court
must hold a hearing (show-cause hearing) on the petition "requiring cause to
be shown why the order should not continue." At the show-cause hearing, if
the court finds that the respondent "has failed to show cause why the order
should not be continued and that a protective order is necessary to prevent
domestic abuse or a recurrence of abuse," the court may issue a protective
order. HRS § 586-5.5(a) (2018).
3
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Mother testified, along with Child's former teacher, and the DHS
social worker who prepared the reports for the family court.
At the conclusion of the show-cause hearing, the family
court granted the Petition and issued the Order for Protection in
favor of Mother and Child for a period of five years, prohibiting
Father's contact with Mother and Child, except for full
supervised visitation and as needed for court proceedings, until
December 17, 2024. The family court found that Father had failed
to show cause why the TRO should not be continued, and found that
Mother had proved Allegations A, B, and C by a preponderance of
the evidence, and that a protective order was necessary to
prevent domestic abuse or the recurrence of abuse. The family
court filed its Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law on
February 24, 2020, which stated in pertinent part:
22. Following trial on the Petition, the Court finds
that MOTHER and DHS Social Worker are credible and that
MOTHER proved the material allegations of the Petition by a
preponderance of the evidence as to allegations A, B, and C,
that FATHER failed to show good cause why the order should
not be continued, and finds that a protective order is
necessary to prevent domestic abuse or recurrence of
domestic abuse.
Father timely filed his appeal on January 15, 2020.5
On March 9, 2020, Father filed a Motion and Declaration
to Amend [and] Dissolve the Existing Order [for Protection] with
the family court.6 Father claimed to have received (1) a Notice
5
An Amended Notice of Appeal was filed on January 22, 2020.
6
Father's motion contained a notice of hearing that indicated that
a hearing was scheduled for May 11, 2020. The court minutes of May 11, 2020
reflect that Father's motion was denied because the family court was divested
of jurisdiction to modify any order pending appeal with this court.
4
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of CWS Disposition dated January 13, 2020 from the DHS Social
Services Division Child Welfare Services Branch (DHS CWS), and
(2) a Notice of Termination or Reduction of Service dated January
13, 2020 from the DHS Social Services Division.7 The Notice of
CWS Disposition purportedly informed Father that "DHS CWS has
completed its investigation/assessment pursuant to Hawaii Revised
Statutes (HRS) §350 and §587A" into the "report alleging that you
were the perpetrator of child abuse and/or neglect" as to Child,
and the "disposition" as to allegations of threatened physical
harm/abuse and threatened physical neglect was that the
allegations were not confirmed. Based on these documents, Father
argued that the "DHS/CSW [sic] case has since been closed"
because "DHS found that the child is not at risk of harm or
threatened harm with respect to Father[,]" and that
"[a]llegations against Father were not confirmed, and social
services have been discontinued as of January 13, 2020[.]"
On appeal, Father's Opening Brief8 contends that the
family court erred by (1) precluding the testimony of Child's
school counselor, (2) admitting the DHS CWS reports into evidence
while the investigation was still pending, (3) applying the wrong
standard in concluding that the Order of Protection was necessary
to prevent future abuse, (4) concluding that the alleged abuse
warranted a protection order, and (5) exhibiting bias in favor of
7
We make no factual determination regarding any of the documents
attached to Father's motion; we note that the CPSS and Intake numbers shown on
the documents are not the same, even among pages within the same document.
8
Mother did not submit an answering brief.
5
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Mother and the DHS CWS social worker. Father also claims he
received ineffective assistance from his counsel.
II. STANDARDS OF REVIEW
A. Family Court Conclusions of Law
"The family court's [conclusions of law] are reviewed
on appeal de novo, under the right/wrong standard." LC v. MG &
Child Support Enf't Agency, 143 Hawai#i 302, 310, 430 P.3d 400,
408 (2018), reconsideration denied sub nom. LC v. MG, No.
SCAP-XX-XXXXXXX, 2018 WL 5785070 (Haw. Nov. 2, 2018), and cert.
denied sub nom. LC v. MG, 140 S. Ct. 234 (2019) (citing
In re Doe, 95 Hawai#i 183, 190, 20 P.3d 616, 623 (2001)).
Conclusions of law are "not binding upon an appellate court and
are freely reviewable for their correctness." Id.
B. Statutory Interpretation
"Statutory interpretation is a question of law
reviewable de novo." State v. Castillon, 144 Hawai#i 406, 411,
443 P.3d 98, 103 (2019) (quoting Panado v. Bd. of Trs., Emps.'
Ret. Sys., 134 Hawai#i 1, 10, 332 P.3d 144, 153 (2014)). In
reviewing questions of statutory interpretation, we are guided by
the following principles:
First, the fundamental starting point for statutory
interpretation is the language of the statute itself.
Second, where the statutory language is plain and
unambiguous, our sole duty is to give effect to its
plain and obvious meaning. Third, implicit in the
task of statutory construction is our foremost
obligation to ascertain and give effect to the
intention of the legislature, which is to be obtained
primarily from the language contained in the statute
itself. Fourth, when there is doubt, doubleness of
meaning, or indistinctiveness or uncertainty of an
expression used in a statute, an ambiguity exists.
Id. (citing Panado, 134 Hawai#i at 10-11, 332 P.3d at 153-54).
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III. DISCUSSION
A. The family court erred in granting the Order for
Protection where the DHS reports submitted to
the court did not contain a disposition as
required by HRS § 586-10.5.
Father contends that the family court erred in
admitting the "hearsay evidence"9 in the DHS reports10 at the
show-cause hearing, while the DHS investigation was still
pending. While Father does not specifically challenge the family
court's receipt of the DHS reports under the applicable statute,
HRS § 586-10.5, Father's challenge to the interim, non-final
content of the reports has merit under the statute. HRS § 586-
10.5 provides:
§ 586-10.5. Reports by the department of human services;
court responsibilities
In cases where there are allegations of domestic abuse
involving a family or household member who is a minor or an
incapacitated person as defined in section 560:5-102, the
employee or appropriate nonjudicial agency designated by the
family court to assist the petitioner shall report the
matter to the department of human services, as required
under chapters 350 and 587A, and shall further notify the
department of the granting of the temporary restraining
order and of the hearing date. The department of human
services shall provide the family court with a written
report on the disposition of the referral. The court shall
file the report and mail it to the petitioner and respondent
at least two working days before the hearing date, if
possible. If circumstances prevent the mailing of the
report as required in this section, the court shall provide
copies of the report to the petitioner and respondent at the
hearing. The report shall be noted in the order dismissing
the petition or granting the restraining order.
(Emphases added.)
9
Father's hearsay challenge raised on appeal was not preserved
below, and is waived. See Hawai#i Rules of Appellate Procedure Rule
28(b)(4)(iii).
10
Father challenged the admission of "CWS Short Report Docket 43"
which is not a correct docket reference, and "CWS Short Report Docket 49"
which is the 11/20/19 Report submitted to the family court. We construe
Father's challenge to encompass both reports received and considered by the
family court.
7
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For cases involving domestic abuse allegations against
a minor, this statute requires the family court's designee to
"report the matter to [DHS] as required under chapters 350 and
587A" and notify DHS of the TRO and the date of the show-cause
hearing. Id.; see Hamilton ex rel. Lethem v. Lethem, 119 Hawai#i
1, 11, 193 P.3d 839, 849 (2008) (noting HRS § 586-10.5 requires
that any TRO issued under the chapter must be reported to DHS for
investigation). DHS must then "provide the family court with a
written report on the disposition of the referral," which must be
filed by the family court and provided to the parties at least
two working days before the hearing "if possible." HRS § 586-
10.5. The statute also requires that "[t]he report shall be
noted in the order dismissing the petition or granting the
restraining order." Id. The statute does not define the term
"disposition," nor explain what is meant by "disposition of the
referral." Id.
In this case, pursuant to HRS § 586-10.5, two
confidential DHS reports were received and considered by the
family court at the show-cause hearing. Both reports do not
appear to contain any "disposition" by DHS of the child abuse
referral. The first report filed November 20, 2019, entitled
"Short Report to Court, 11/18/19" (First DHS Report) describes
DHS's investigation into the allegations of abuse against Child
by both Father and Mother, and notes that DHS was acting pursuant
to the family court's order in this case. The First DHS Report
concludes with DHS's assessment of Child's living arrangement, a
recommendation regarding the restraining order, and states that
8
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DHS "will continue to investigate[.]" The second DHS report was
filed the day of the continued hearing on December 17, 2019, and
was entitled "Short Report to Court, 12/17/19" (Second DHS
Report). The Second DHS Report, inter alia, provided an update
on Child's status and progress since the First DHS Report filed a
month before, and concluded with DHS's assessment regarding
Child's living arrangement, a recommendation regarding the
restraining order, and again stated that DHS "will continue to
investigate[.]" Neither report contained the word "disposition,"
nor any language indicating DHS's disposition of the child abuse
referral. Instead, both reports indicated that DHS's
investigation into the referral would continue.
After the show-cause hearing on December 17, 2019 was
concluded and the Order for Protection had already been granted,
Father claimed to have received a Notice of CWS Disposition from
DHS CWS dated January 13, 2020, which explained that
"disposition" meant "the results of the
investigation/assessment." The Notice of CWS Disposition states
in pertinent part as follows:
Date: 1/13/2020
NOTICE OF CWS DISPOSITION
To: [(Father's name)] Re: [(Child's name, date of
birth)]
[(Father's address)]
CPSS# 125646 INTAKE #N6697
The Department of Human Services (DHS) Child Welfare
Services (CWS) Branch received a report alleging that you
were the perpetrator of child abuse and/or neglect. DHS CWS
has completed its investigation/assessment pursuant to
Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS) §350 and §587A. This letter
is to inform you of DHS CWS' disposition (i.e., the results
of the investigation/assessment.)
"C" means that the allegation was CONFIRMED.
This information will be entered into Hawaii's Child
Protective Services System (CPSS) Central Registry. The
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information may be used, with your consent, for a background
clearance, or as provided by federal and State laws. This
confirmation may affect your ability to gain employment that
involves children or vulnerable adults.
"N" means that the allegation was NOT CONFIRMED.
Allegations which are NOT confirmed are NOT entered into
Hawaii's CPSS Central Registry and will not be available to
the public for any purpose.
Confirmed and not confirmed dispositions are stored in the
DHS CWS database, and are only available to CWS for the
purpose of assisting CWS in conducting future risk and
safety assessments, in accordance with the federal Child
Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) of 2010 and HRS
§350.
DHS CWS' disposition(s) of the child abuse and/or neglect
allegation(s) against you are indicated with either a "C" or
"N" on the table below.
. . . .
(Bolding in original.) On the table, the DHS CWS's "disposition"
on "Threatened Physical Harm/Abuse" was marked "N" or not
confirmed, and "Threatened Physical Neglect" was also marked "N"
or not confirmed. As to other categories on the table, inter
alia, of physical harm/abuse, failure to thrive, physical
neglect, abuse, and neglect –- no findings of "confirmed" or "not
confirmed" were listed, and these categories were left blank. We
make no factual determination regarding this document (see supra
note 7), but note that it reflects on its face a disposition as
to the allegations of abuse by Father against Child that appears
to be inconsistent with the family court's findings from the
show-cause hearing a month before. At that time, the family
court found that Allegation B (that DHS CWS had completed
investigation of Father and removed Child from Father's case
declaring Father unsafe) and Allegation C (that an active CWS
case was generated alleging threat of abuse of neglect to Child
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by Father due to hospital's report of bruising on Child's
backside) had been proven by the preponderance of the evidence.
1. "Disposition" means the final result of the
investigation or assessment of a child abuse
referral that DHS conducted pursuant to its
procedures.
While HRS § 586-10.5 does not define "disposition" of a
child abuse referral, this statute references the child abuse
reporting and child protection procedures in HRS Chapters 350 and
587A. The Notice of CWS Disposition quoted above also noted that
DHS CWS had "completed its investigation/assessment" pursuant to
these same chapters. "It is well established that statutes in
pari materia should be construed together." Jijun Yin v. Aguiar,
146 Hawai#i 254, 264, 463 P.3d 911, 921 (2020) (citation
omitted). Thus, we examine HRS Chapters 350 and 587A in pari
materia, for clarification of the meaning of the term
"disposition" as used in HRS § 586-10.5. See HRS § 1-16.11
HRS Chapter 350 deals with the reporting of child abuse
and neglect, inter alia, setting mandatory reporting requirements
and imposing penalties for non-reporting. HRS Chapter 350 does
not contain the term "disposition" in any of its sections.
HRS Chapter 587A codifies the Child Protective Act, the
purpose of which is to protect children who have been harmed or
threatened with harm, by providing a means for identifying,
reporting, and investigating such cases, and implementing plans
11
HRS § 1-16 (2009 & Supp. 2018) provides, "Laws in pari materia, or
upon the same subject matter, shall be construed with reference to each other.
What is clear in one statute may be called in aid to explain what is doubtful
in another."
11
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to ensure that these children are provided with a safe family
home. This chapter contains a single reference to the term
"disposition" in its statement of purpose and construction in HRS
§ 587A-2 (2018), that provides, "The legislature finds that
prompt identification, reporting, investigation, services,
treatment, adjudication, and disposition of cases involving
children who have been harmed or are threatened with harm are in
the children's, their families', and society's best interest
because the children are defenseless, exploitable, and vulnerable
. . . ." (Emphasis added.) This section describes the various
procedures set forth in the Child Protective Act, from reporting
and investigation, to adjudication and disposition. While only
the term "adjudication"12 is defined in the chapter, the language
employed in § 587A-2 shows that terms such as investigation,
adjudication, and disposition, are distinct.
The term "disposition" is also found in the Hawai#i
Administrative Rules (HAR) for DHS Child Welfare Services
Programs, under a chapter dealing with Child Welfare Casework
Services. See generally HAR § 17-1610 (effective 2010-2021).
The Notice of Termination or Reduction of Services Father
provided also referenced these rules.13 The stated goal of the
12
The term "adjudication" is defined in the HRS § 587A-4 (2018)
definitions section, as follows: "'Adjudication' means a finding by a court
that is supported by a preponderance of the evidence that the child has been
harmed or is subjected to threatened harm by the acts or omissions of the
child's family." The definitions section for the chapter, HRS § 587A-4, does
not contain a definition of "disposition."
13
This document purportedly informed Father that DHS was terminating
its services since Child was "not at risk of harm or threatened harm," citing
HAR § 17-1610-45(1). HAR § 17-1610-45 is entitled "Termination of child
welfare casework services" and states that "Notice shall be provided and child
(continued...)
12
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Department under this chapter is to "provide services to the
child who has been the subject of a report of abuse, neglect, or
threatened harm" to ensure the child's safety, permanency, and
well-being. HAR § 17-1610-1. While no definition of
"disposition" appears in the definition section of HAR § 17-1610-
2, the term appears in a section entitled "Disposition of
assessment" as follows:
17-1610-24 Disposition of assessment. (a) For those reports
accepted for assessment pursuant to chapter 350, HRS, a
disposition shall be made in accordance with departmental
procedures and documented in the department's information
system within sixty working days of the acceptance of the
report as to whether the child has been harmed.
(b) The legal custodian and the alleged maltreater shall be
provided written notice of the disposition of the assessment
in accordance with section 17-1610-11 . . . .
(Underscoring in original.) The definitions section provides
that "'Assessment' or 'investigation' is the professional,
systematic, gathering and evaluation of information about the
family for the purpose of making decisions regarding confirmation
of child abuse and/or neglect, protection of the child, and
services to the family." HAR § 17-1610-2.
Based on the foregoing, the term "disposition" is one
that is used by DHS in its administrative rules and in HRS §
587A-2. In conducting a plain meaning analysis, the words of a
statute "must be taken in their ordinary and familiar
signification," with regard "to their general and popular use."
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. v. Omiya, 142 Hawai#i 439, 449, 420 P.3d
13
(...continued)
welfare casework services shall be terminated when: (1) The department finds
the child is not at risk of harm or threatened harm[.]"
13
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370, 380 (2018) (quotation marks and citations omitted). A court
may also "resort to legal or other well accepted dictionaries as
one way to determine the ordinary meaning of certain terms not
statutorily defined." Id. at 449-50, 420 P.3d at 380-81
(quotation marks and citations omitted). The definition in the
Notice of CWS Disposition quoted above, that "disposition" means
"the results of the investigation/assessment," is one that is
ordinarily applied and generally used. We hold that the term
"disposition" as used in HRS § 586-10.5, means the result of the
investigation or assessment that the Department conducted
pursuant to its procedures for a child abuse referral. This
definition comports with the typical legal meaning of
"disposition" as a "final settlement or determination[.]"
Disposition, Black's Law Dictionary (11th ed. 2019). It is also
consistent with the common meaning of "disposition" as a "final
arrangement" or "settlement[.]" Disposition, Merriam-Webster's
Collegiate Dictionary 361 (11th ed. 2003). And as set forth
below, this definition is also consistent with the legislative
history of HRS § 586-10.5.
2. The legislative history of HRS § 586-10.5
shows that the legislature intended that
the DHS report contain a "disposition" of
the child abuse referral, and that an
investigative report without a "disposition"
does not satisfy the statute.
"The legislature enacted HRS Chapter 586 in 1982 to
streamline the procedures for obtaining and issuing ex parte
temporary restraining orders to prevent acts of or the recurrence
of domestic abuse." Coyle v. Compton, 85 Hawai#i 197, 205, 940
14
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P.2d 404, 412 (App. 1997) (quotation marks and citations
omitted). In 1987, HRS § 586-10.5 was added as a new section to
Chapter 586,14 to "ensure the involvement and assistance of the
Department of Social Services and Housing (DSSH) in domestic
abuse matters involving alleged abuse to minors." S. Stand.
Comm. Rep. No. 1444, in 1987 Senate Journal, at 1521. The
legislature believed that the new section would "give the Family
Court and responsible state agencies the ability to better
protect the victims of domestic abuse." Id. In 1991, when the
statute was amended to include reference to both Chapter 350 and
Chapter 587,15 the legislature explained that "Chapter 350
14
The new section of HRS 586-10.5 read as follows:
§586- Reports by the department of social services and
housing. In cases where there are allegations of domestic
abuse involving a minor family or household member, the
employee or appropriate nonjudicial agency designated by the
family court to assist the petitioner shall report the
matter to the department of social services and housing, as
required under chapter 350, and shall further notify the
department of the granting of the temporary restraining
order and of the hearing date. The department of social
services and housing shall provide the family court with an
oral or written report of the investigation's progress on or
before the hearing date.
1987 Haw. Sess. Laws Act 315, § 7 at 983.
15
The 1991 amendment was as follows:
§586-10.5 Reports by the department of human services. In
cases where there are allegations of domestic abuse
involving a minor family or household member, the employee
or appropriate nonjudicial agency designated by the family
court to assist the petitioner shall report the matter to
the department of human services, as required under [chapter
350], chapters 350 and 587, and shall further notify the
department of the granting of the temporary restraining
order and of the hearing date. The department of human
services shall provide the family court with an oral or
written report of the investigation's progress on or before
the hearing date.
1991 Haw. Sess. Laws Act 141, § 3 at 366 (brackets and underscoring in
original).
(continued...)
15
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educates the public about child abuse law while Chapter 587
outlines the procedures used to protect children." S. Stand.
Comm. Rep. No. 189 in 1991 Senate Journal, at 863.
The key amendment relevant to this appeal occurred in
2007, Act 108, as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 586-10.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes,
is amended to read as follows:
"§586-10.5 Reports by the department of human
services[.]; court responsibilities. In cases where there
are allegations of domestic abuse involving a family or
household member who is a minor or an incapacitated person
as defined in section 560:5-102, the employee or appropriate
nonjudicial agency designated by the family court to assist
the petitioner shall report the matter to the department of
human services, as required under chapters 350 and 587, and
shall further notify the department of the granting of the
temporary restraining order and of the hearing date. The
department of human services shall provide the family court
with [an oral or] a written report [of the investigation's
progress on or] on the disposition of the referral. The
court shall file the report and mail it to the petitioner
and respondent at least two working days before the hearing
date[.], if possible. If circumstances prevent the mailing
of the report as required by this section, the court shall
provide copies of the report to the petitioner and
respondent at the hearing. The report shall be noted in the
order dismissing the petition or granting the restraining
order."
SECTION 2. Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is
underscored.
2007 Haw. Sess. Laws Act 108, §§ 1-2 at 187 (brackets,
strikeouts, and underscoring in original). Prior to this
amendment, the last sentence of the statute read, "The department
of human services shall provide the family court with an oral or
written report of the investigation's progress on or before the
hearing date." HRS § 586-10.5 (2006). The 2007 amendment
deleted the language that the DHS report contain the
15
(...continued)
16
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"investigation's progress" and required DHS to include the
"disposition of the referral" in its report to the family court.
The legislative discussions on the 2007 amendments
focused on the other new requirements of a written report and
deletion of the oral report option,16 and the due process
requirement of timely notice of DHS's report to the parties.17
On the critical change relevant here, there appears to be no
specific explanation as to why the content requirement of the
report was changed to mandate that a "disposition" of the child
abuse referral be included in the report. While no explanation
appears in the legislative history, the new requirement
specifically mandating a disposition be included is clear.
Based on the foregoing, we conclude that under HRS §
586-10.5, it is not sufficient for DHS to merely report on the
status or progress of its investigation into the child abuse
allegations. The report from DHS submitted to a family court
pursuant to HRS § 586-10.5 must contain a disposition, i.e. the
final result of the investigation or assessment of a child abuse
16
The Conference Committee Report states, "Your Committee finds that
reports made by the Department of Human Services to the family court should be
made in writing to ensure that a written record is established[.]" H. Conf.
Comm. Rep. No. 33 in 2007 Senate Journal, at 1016. The change was
specifically addressed, to "[d]elete the option that would allow the
Department of Human Services to provide an oral report regarding the
dispositions of referrals made to the department in cases where there are
allegations of domestic abuse involving minors or incapacitated persons[.]"
Id.
17
Regarding the requirement of timely notice to the parties, the
legislative history indicates, "The purpose of this bill is to provide basic
due process in Family Court protective order proceedings alleging domestic
abuse by requiring that the Department of Human Services (DHS) report of the
matter be provided to the parties at least two days before the hearing, if
possible." H. Stand. Comm. Rep. No. 1683 (2007), available at
https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2007/commreports/
SB1161_HD1_HSCR1683_.pdf.
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referral that DHS conducted pursuant to its procedures. The
disposition is the final result of DHS's "professional,
systematic gathering and evaluation" of pertinent information
"for the purpose of making decisions regarding confirmation of
child abuse and/or neglect" and child protection. HAR § 17-1610-
2. By requiring that a written report containing a disposition
by DHS be provided to the family court no later than the hearing
on the petition, and by requiring that the report be noted in the
family court's order dismissing or granting the restraining
order, the statute necessarily contemplates that the report must
be received by the family court before the hearing and before
entry of the family court's order. Mandating that the family
court has DHS's disposition information on child abuse
allegations, fulfills the legislative purposes of (1) ensuring
the assistance of the Department to the family court in domestic
abuse situations involving allegations of abuse against minors,
(2) giving the family court and responsible state agencies the
ability to better protect victims of domestic abuse, and (3)
providing due process for the parties. See S. Stand. Comm. Rep.
No. 1444, in 1987 Senate Journal, at 1521; H. Stand. Comm. Rep.
No. 1683 (2007), available at
https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2007/commreports/SB1161_HD1
_HSCR1683_.pdf.
Father's challenge to the December 17, 2019 Order for
Protection has merit because the family court did not receive a
written report on the disposition of the referral, and no written
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report on the disposition of the referral was filed by the family
court, before the Order for Protection was issued.
B. Father's remaining points of error
As to Father's third point of error, the family court
applied the correct "preponderance of the evidence" standard of
proof to the domestic abuse allegations in this case. See Kie v.
McMahel, 91 Hawai#i 438, 442, 984 P.2d 1264, 1268 (App. 1999)
(citing Coyle, 85 Hawai#i at 206, 940 P.2d at 413). The
"preponderance of the evidence" standard is constitutional when
applied in cases involving a protection order under HRS Chapter
586. Coyle, 85 Hawai#i at 206, 208, 940 P.2d at 413, 415.
We need not address Father's remaining points of error
at this time.
IV. CONCLUSION
Based on the foregoing, we vacate the family court's
December 17, 2019 Order for Protection, and remand to the family
court for further proceedings in accordance with this opinion and
with the following instructions:
(1) The Temporary Restraining Order granted on November
8, 2019 is hereby reinstated under Hawai#i Family Court Rules
(HFCR) Rule 26(g),18 and a new 180-day period under HRS § 586-
18
HFCR Rule 26(g) provides that an appellate court has the power "to
suspend, modify, restore, or grant a restraining order during the pendency of
an appeal or to make any order appropriate to preserve the status quo or the
effectiveness of the decree subsequently to be entered." At the point the
Order for Protection was entered on December 17, 2019, a TRO was in effect.
Because we vacate the Order for Protection, we restore the position of the
parties to status quo ante at the time of the show-cause hearing.
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5(a)19 is hereby ordered, starting from the filing of our
judgment on appeal;
(2) The family court shall conduct a show-cause hearing
on Mother's Petition for an Order for Protection within 15 days
of the filing of our judgment on appeal, in accordance with the
15-day deadline of HRS § 586-5(b); and
(3) The family court shall not conclude the show-cause
hearing until it has received from DHS, and filed, a written
report on the disposition of the referral at issue in this case.
On the brief: /s/ Keith K. Hiraoka
Presiding Judge
PD,
Respondent-Appellant. /s/ Clyde J. Wadsworth
Presiding Judge
/s/ Karen T. Nakasone
Presiding Judge
19
HRS § 586-5(a) (2018) provides that, "A temporary restraining
order granted pursuant to this chapter shall remain in effect at the
discretion of the court, for a period not to exceed one hundred eighty days
from the date the order is granted or until the effective date, as defined in
section 586-5.6, or a protective order issued by the court, whichever occurs
first."
20