Hawaii Revised Statutes

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 91-10 (2026)

  Rules of evidence; official notice

✓ current as of July 2026
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     §91-10  Rules of evidence; official notice.  In contested cases:

     (1)  Except as provided in section 91-8.5, any oral or documentary evidence may be received, but every agency shall as a matter of policy provide for the exclusion of irrelevant, immaterial, or unduly repetitious evidence and no sanction shall be imposed or rule or order be issued except upon consideration of the whole record or such portions thereof as may be cited by any party and as supported by and in accordance with the reliable, probative, and substantial evidence.  The agencies shall give effect to the rules of privilege recognized by law;

     (2)  Documentary evidence may be received in the form of copies or excerpts, if the original is not readily available; provided that upon request parties shall be given an opportunity to compare the copy with the original;

     (3)  Every party shall have the right to conduct such cross-examination as may be required for a full and true disclosure of the facts, and shall have the right to submit rebuttal evidence;

     (4)  Agencies may take notice of judicially recognizable facts.  In addition, they may take notice of generally recognized technical or scientific facts within their specialized knowledge; but parties shall be notified either before or during the hearing, or by reference in preliminary reports or otherwise, of the material so noticed, and they shall be afforded an opportunity to contest the facts so noticed; and

     (5)  Except as otherwise provided by law, the party initiating the proceeding shall have the burden of proof, including the burden of producing evidence as well as the burden of persuasion.  The degree or quantum of proof shall be a preponderance of the evidence. [L 1961, c 103, §10; Supp, §6C-10; HRS §91-10; am L 1978, c 76, §1; am L 2003, c 76, §3]

 

Law Journals and Reviews

 

  Reoccurring Cultural Insensitivity:  Confronting the Abdication of Core Judicial Functions.  43 UH L. Rev. 341 (2021).

  A Litigator's Approach to Issues Concerning Exercise and Protection of Native Hawaiian Traditional and Customary Rights.  43 UH L. Rev. 592 (2021).

 

Case Notes

 

  Agencies are to admit any and all evidence, limited only by considerations of relevancy, materiality, and repetition.  54 H. 479, 510 P.2d 89; 5 H. App. 59, 678 P.2d 576.

  Commissioner's "view" of premises in a land use boundary case without proper notice to party violated par. (4).  55 H. 538, 524 P.2d 84.

  Paragraph (3) applied.  55 H. 538, 524 P.2d 84.

  Mere admission of irrelevant or incompetent evidence not reversible error.  59 H. 388, 583 P.2d 313; 5 H. App. 59, 678 P.2d 576.

  Acceptance of certain mathematical calculations not subject to cross-examination or rebuttal testimony.  65 H. 293, 651 P.2d 475.

  Party was properly assigned burden of proof.  66 H. 538, 669 P.2d 148.

  Agency properly disallowed rebuttal testimony involving no new evidence or argument.  67 H. 425, 690 P.2d 274.

  Zoning board of appeals did not exceed its statutory authority by hearing evidence and considering documents verifying that appellants were permitting zoning violation to continue on their property; rules of evidence in administrative hearings allow admission of hearsay evidence.  77 H. 168, 883 P.2d 629.

  Appellant had not met burden of demonstrating a violation of paragraph (3) by board of medical examiners; board did not err in admitting evidence of judgment of conviction and police reports.  78 H. 21, 889 P.2d 705.

  Where unlikely that cross-examination of witnesses on appeal would have unearthed anything of particular value regarding legal arguments or subjective feelings of witnesses who had already testified before hearings officer, right to cross-examine witnesses not unduly infringed by department of land utilization's two-tiered mechanism of review.  87 H. 217, 953 P.2d 1315.

  Agency properly disallowed repetitious testimony.  4 H. App. 633, 675 P.2d 784.

  Cited:  132 H. 9, 319 P.3d 1017 (2014).

 

 

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 66 cases (13 in the last 5 years), 1970–2026 · leading case: In Re the Contested Case Hearing on Water Use, Well Constr., & Pump Installation Permit Applications, Filed by Wai'ola O Moloka'i, Inc., 83 P.3d 664 (Haw. 2004).
In Re the Contested Case Hearing on Water Use, Well Constr., & Pump Installation Permit Applications, Filed by Wai'ola O Moloka'i, Inc., 83 P.3d 664 (Haw. 2004). · cites it 16× “Therefore, on balance[,] I find [that] the potential harm and problems created by the admission of the transcripts even for impeachment purposes outweighs [its] probative value.”
Tauese v. State, Dep't of Labor & Indus. Relations, 147 P.3d 785 (Haw. 2006). · cites it 14× “) The legislative history of HRS § 91-10 indicates that in 1978, the legislature amended HAPA to provide that in contested case hearings, “the party initiating the proceeding shall have the burden of proof, including the burden of producing evidence as well as the burden of…”
'O Haleakalâ v. Bd. of Land & Nat. Resources, 382 P.3d 195 (Haw. 2016). · cites it 16× “" HRS § 91-10(1) (2012). Just like judges, agency adjudicators are required to “give effect to the rules of privilege recognized by law,” HRS § 91-10(1) (2012), and they are authorized to "take notice of judicially recognizable facts," HRS § 91-10(4).”
Dupree v. Hiraga, 219 P.3d 1084 (Haw. 2009). · cites it 9× “13 to HAR § 2—51—43(h) (“Rules of evidence as specified in HRS § 91-10 shall be applicable ...” to a hearing before the Board challenging voter registration prior to election day).”
Loui v. Bd. of Med. Examiners, 889 P.2d 705 (Haw. 1995). · cites it 12× “Because the Board of Medical Examiners is an agency within the definition of the Hawai'i Administrative Procedure Act, 22 HRS § 91-10 governs the rules of evidence in this case.”
Korean Buddhist Dae Won Sa Temple v. Sullivan, 953 P.2d 1315 (Haw. 1998). · cites it 6× “Furthermore, “[e]very party shall have the right to conduct such cross-examination as may be required for a full and true disclosure of the facts, and shall have ■ the right to submit rebuttal evidence.” HRS § 91-10(3) (1993).”
Outdoor Circle v. Harold K.L. Castle Trust Est., 675 P.2d 784 (Haw. App. 1983). · cites it 10× “Such order under those circumstances did not constitute a violation of HRS § 91-9(a) and (c).”
The Cmty. Associations of Hualalai, Inc. v. Leeward Plan. Comm'n., 500 P.3d 426 (Haw. 2021). · cites it 6× “HRS § 91-10(3) states, “[e]very party shall have the right to conduct such cross-examination as may be required for a full and true disclosure of the facts, and shall have the right to submit rebuttal evidence[.”
Town v. Land Use Comm'n, 524 P.2d 84 (Haw. 1974). · cites it 12× “HRS § 91-10(3) states: § 91-10 Rules of evidence; official notice.”
Liberty Dialysis-Hawaii, LLC v. Rainbow Dialysis, LLC., 306 P.3d 140 (Haw. 2013). · cites it 8× “-11- ***FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER*** proceeding pursuant to HRS § 91-10(5) because Liberty initiated the Reconsideration proceeding and acknowledged in writing its burden of proof.”
Application of Hawaiian Tel. Co., 651 P.2d 475 (Haw. 1982). · cites it 16× “PUD also argues that HTC failed to establish that Exhibit 23 was relevant, material, and not unduly repetitious, which PUD contends is required by HRS § 91-10(1) (1976). PUD further alleges that HTC made several technical errors in its intrastate rate base calculations.”
E & J Lounge Operating Co. v. Liquor Comm'n of Honolulu, 174 P.3d 367 (Haw. App. 2007). · cites it 14× “" E & J urges us to affirm the circuit court's "determination that liquor license application public hearings are adjudicatory in nature and therefore must comply with the contested-case procedures and specifically the rules of evidence as set forth in HRS § 91-10." DISCUSSION…”
— Haw. Rev. Stat. § 91-10(1) — 17 cases
In Re the Contested Case Hearing on Water Use, Well Constr., & Pump Installation Permit Applications, Filed by Wai'ola O Moloka'i, Inc., 83 P.3d 664 (Haw. 2004). “Therefore, on balance[,] I find [that] the potential harm and problems created by the admission of the transcripts even for impeachment purposes outweighs [its] probative value.”
'O Haleakalâ v. Bd. of Land & Nat. Resources, 382 P.3d 195 (Haw. 2016). “" HRS § 91-10(1) (2012). Just like judges, agency adjudicators are required to “give effect to the rules of privilege recognized by law,” HRS § 91-10(1) (2012), and they are authorized to "take notice of judicially recognizable facts," HRS § 91-10(4).”
Price v. Zoning Bd. of App. of Honolulu, 883 P.2d 629 (Haw. 1994).
Application of Hawaiian Tel. Co., 651 P.2d 475 (Haw. 1982). “PUD also argues that HTC failed to establish that Exhibit 23 was relevant, material, and not unduly repetitious, which PUD contends is required by HRS § 91-10(1) (1976). PUD further alleges that HTC made several technical errors in its intrastate rate base calculations.”
Outdoor Circle v. Harold K.L. Castle Trust Est., 675 P.2d 784 (Haw. App. 1983). “Such order under those circumstances did not constitute a violation of HRS § 91-9(a) and (c).”
— Haw. Rev. Stat. § 91-10(3) — 11 cases
The Cmty. Associations of Hualalai, Inc. v. Leeward Plan. Comm'n., 500 P.3d 426 (Haw. 2021). “HRS § 91-10(3) states, “[e]very party shall have the right to conduct such cross-examination as may be required for a full and true disclosure of the facts, and shall have the right to submit rebuttal evidence[.”
Korean Buddhist Dae Won Sa Temple v. Sullivan, 953 P.2d 1315 (Haw. 1998). “Furthermore, “[e]very party shall have the right to conduct such cross-examination as may be required for a full and true disclosure of the facts, and shall have ■ the right to submit rebuttal evidence.” HRS § 91-10(3) (1993).”
'O Haleakalâ v. Bd. of Land & Nat. Resources, 382 P.3d 195 (Haw. 2016). “" HRS § 91-10(1) (2012). Just like judges, agency adjudicators are required to “give effect to the rules of privilege recognized by law,” HRS § 91-10(1) (2012), and they are authorized to "take notice of judicially recognizable facts," HRS § 91-10(4).”
Outdoor Circle v. Harold K.L. Castle Trust Est., 675 P.2d 784 (Haw. App. 1983). “Such order under those circumstances did not constitute a violation of HRS § 91-9(a) and (c).”
Loui v. Bd. of Med. Examiners, 889 P.2d 705 (Haw. 1995). “Because the Board of Medical Examiners is an agency within the definition of the Hawai'i Administrative Procedure Act, 22 HRS § 91-10 governs the rules of evidence in this case.”
— Haw. Rev. Stat. § 91-10(3)(1976) — 1 case
Application of Hawaiian Tel. Co., 651 P.2d 475 (Haw. 1982). “PUD also argues that HTC failed to establish that Exhibit 23 was relevant, material, and not unduly repetitious, which PUD contends is required by HRS § 91-10(1) (1976). PUD further alleges that HTC made several technical errors in its intrastate rate base calculations.”
— Haw. Rev. Stat. § 91-10(4) — 5 cases
'O Haleakalâ v. Bd. of Land & Nat. Resources, 382 P.3d 195 (Haw. 2016). “" HRS § 91-10(1) (2012). Just like judges, agency adjudicators are required to “give effect to the rules of privilege recognized by law,” HRS § 91-10(1) (2012), and they are authorized to "take notice of judicially recognizable facts," HRS § 91-10(4).”
Town v. Land Use Comm'n, 524 P.2d 84 (Haw. 1974). “HRS § 91-10(3) states: § 91-10 Rules of evidence; official notice.”
Turner v. Hawai'i Paroling Auth., 1 P.3d 768 (Haw. App. 2000).
— Haw. Rev. Stat. § 91-10(5) — 28 cases
Tauese v. State, Dep't of Labor & Indus. Relations, 147 P.3d 785 (Haw. 2006). “) The legislative history of HRS § 91-10 indicates that in 1978, the legislature amended HAPA to provide that in contested case hearings, “the party initiating the proceeding shall have the burden of proof, including the burden of producing evidence as well as the burden of…”
Liberty Dialysis-Hawaii, LLC v. Rainbow Dialysis, LLC., 306 P.3d 140 (Haw. 2013). “-11- ***FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER*** proceeding pursuant to HRS § 91-10(5) because Liberty initiated the Reconsideration proceeding and acknowledged in writing its burden of proof.”
Dupree v. Hiraga, 219 P.3d 1084 (Haw. 2009). “13 to HAR § 2—51—43(h) (“Rules of evidence as specified in HRS § 91-10 shall be applicable ...” to a hearing before the Board challenging voter registration prior to election day).”
Iaea v. TIG Ins. Co., 90 P.3d 267 (Haw. App. 2004).
In Re Gray Line Hawai'i, Ltd., 995 P.2d 776 (Haw. 2000).
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.