Schmidt v. Small Claims Division of the District Court of the First Circuit, Honolulu Division
Opinion
Electronically Filed Supreme Court SCPW-XX-XXXXXXX 07-NOV-2025 07:59 AM Dkt. 8 ODDP
SCPW-XX-XXXXXXX
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF HAWAIʻI ________________________________________________________________
THOMAS F. SCHMIDT, Petitioner,
vs.
SMALL CLAIMS DIVISION OF THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE FIRST CIRCUIT, HONOLULU DIVISION; and FIRESTONE TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY, Respondents. ________________________________________________________________
ORIGINAL PROCEEDING (CASE NO. 1DSC-XX-XXXXXXX)
ORDER DENYING PETITION FOR WRIT OF MANDAMUS (By: McKenna, Acting C.J., Eddins, Ginoza, and Devens, JJ., and Circuit Judge Kawamura, assigned by reason of vacancy)
Upon consideration of the petition for writ of mandamus,
filed May 7, 2025, and the record, small claims court is a court
of record. See Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes (HRS) § 604-17 (2016);
see also HRS § 604-1 (2016). And the legislature did not
exclude plaintiffs that file “litigation” in small claims court
from the vexatious litigant prefiling requirement under HRS
§ 634J-7 (2016). See S. Stand. Comm. Rep. No. 467, in 1993 Senate Journal, at 978; H. Stand Comm. Rep. No. 1178, in 1993
House Journal, at 1473; see also Trs. of Estate of Bishop v. Au,
146 Hawaiʻi 272, 279, 463 P.3d 929, 936 (2020).
An extraordinary writ is unwarranted. See Womble Bond
Dickinson (US) LLP v. Kim, 153 Hawaiʻi 307, 319, 537 P.3d 1154,
1166 (2023).
It is ordered that the petition is denied.
DATED: Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, November 7, 2025.
/s/ Sabrina S. McKenna
/s/ Todd W. Eddins
/s/ Lisa M. Ginoza
/s/ Vladimir P. Devens
/s/ Shirley M. Kawamura
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