Learn About The Law
Get help with your legal needs
FindLaw’s Learn About the Law features thousands of informational articles to help you understand your options. And if you’re ready to hire an attorney, find one in your area who can help.
Current as of January 01, 2025 | Updated by Findlaw Staff
(a) All costs and expenses, including reasonable attorneys' fees, incurred by or on behalf of the association for:
(1) Collecting any delinquent assessments against any unit or the owner of any unit;
(2) Foreclosing any lien on any unit; or
(3) Enforcing any provision of the association documents or this chapter;
against a member, occupant, tenant, employee of a member, or any other person who in any manner may use the property, shall be promptly paid on demand to the association by such person or persons; provided that if the association is not the prevailing party, all costs and expenses, including reasonable attorneys' fees, incurred by any such person or persons as a result of the action of the association, shall be promptly paid on demand to the person by the association. The reasonableness of any attorney's fees paid by a person or by an association as a result of an action pursuant to paragraph (2) shall be determined by the court.
(b) If any member is the prevailing party in any action against an association, any of its officers or directors, or its board of directors to enforce any provision of the association documents or this chapter, then all reasonable and necessary expenses, costs, and attorneys' fees incurred by the member shall be awarded to the member; provided that no such award shall be made in any derivative action unless:
(1) The member first shall have demanded and allowed reasonable time for the board of directors to pursue an enforcement action; or
(2) The member demonstrates to the satisfaction of the court that a demand for enforcement made to the board of directors would have been fruitless.
If a member is not the prevailing party in any court action against an association, any of its officers or directors, or its board of directors, to enforce any provision of the association documents or this chapter, then all reasonable and necessary expenses, costs, and attorneys' fees incurred by the association shall be awarded to the association, unless the action was filed in small claims court, or, prior to filing the action in a higher court, the owner has first submitted the claim to mediation pursuant to section 421J-13, and made a good faith effort to resolve the dispute under any of those procedures.
(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the board of directors from authorizing the use of a collection agency.
Cite this article: FindLaw.com - Hawaii Revised Statutes Division 2. Business § 421J-10 - last updated January 01, 2025 | https://codes.findlaw.com/hi/division-2-business/hi-rev-st-sect-421j-10/
FindLaw Codes may not reflect the most recent version of the law in your jurisdiction. Please verify the status of the code you are researching with the state legislature before relying on it for your legal needs.
A free source of state and federal court opinions, state laws, and the United States Code. For more information about the legal concepts addressed by these cases and statutes, visit FindLaw’s Learn About the Law.
Get help with your legal needs
FindLaw’s Learn About the Law features thousands of informational articles to help you understand your options. And if you’re ready to hire an attorney, find one in your area who can help.
Search our directory by legal issue
Enter information in one or both fields (Required)