Sen. Joy San Buenaventura is considering writing a bill that would likely reduce the number of children taken from their parents without a court order.

More than 80% of children taken into protective custody in Hawaii are removed from their families without a judge’s approval. That’s not how it works in many other jurisdictions.

Jan Yamane was deeply unpopular as the acting state auditor, according to a state investigative report, but she’s a hit with the Honolulu Ethics Commission.

It took more than six years, a lawsuit and two appeals to the Hawaii Supreme Court to force the AG’s office to release results of the investigation.

The principle of qualified immunity protects workers in their official actions. But as a recent Hawaii case shows, not always.

Big Island resident Deborah Goodwin says she had no choice but to speak to a reporter and file a lawsuit about her case because the confidential system had treated her unfairly. It backfired.

An appeals court found that parents in three cases should have had court-appointed lawyers throughout. How many other parents were denied this right?

Legislative amendments would introduce new requirements for the land swap.

Public outcry over the disappearance of Isabella Kalua and concerns about CWS’ role in the case of a Big Island fifth grader raised concerns about the agency.

But there is a need for some “labor savings,” although the governor declined to be more specific.