Judge Sets Trial Date in Honolulu DUI Lawsuit
A class action case against the Honolulu Police Department is now scheduled to move to trial in the summer of 2028.
Updated on Oct. 22, 2026 in Law Enforcement
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First Circuit Judge Karin Holma has scheduled the class action trial regarding alleged improper DUI arrests by the Honolulu Police Department for July 31, 2028. The judge is currently considering a motion to compel the release of unredacted police records and body camera footage.
Why it matters
The lawsuit alleges that officers conducted arrests without probable cause to inflate statistics and secure federal funding. These claims suggest a systemic issue involving the potential misuse of law enforcement procedures to satisfy government grant requirements.
The class action case is set for trial on July 31, 2028, following a series of evidentiary motions. The city has currently only provided body camera footage for 15 of the 98 cases requested by plaintiffs.
The players
Karin Holma
She is a First Circuit Judge currently presiding over the class action litigation against the Honolulu Police Department.
Ammon Fepuleai
He is the lead plaintiff who initiated the class action lawsuit against the local police department in May 2025.
Honolulu Police Department
This is the municipal law enforcement agency currently defending allegations that it conducted unwarranted DUI arrests to secure federal funding.
The details
Plaintiffs, led by Ammon Fepuleai, claim that the department performed arrests to artificially increase departmental metrics. The city asserts that redactions are necessary to protect the constitutional privacy rights of the individuals arrested during the period in question.
Timeline
129 DUI arrests were made between 2022 and 2024 involving individuals who tested 0.00 for alcohol.
The Honolulu Police Department reported a total of 769 DUI arrests during 2023.
Ammon Fepuleai filed the class action lawsuit in May 2025.
Judge Karin Holma reset the trial date on October 21, 2026.
The class action trial is officially scheduled to begin on July 31, 2028.
Legal Context
This litigation follows the recent scrutiny of police records that first came to light during the 2022-2024 Honolulu Police Department internal DUI audit. The case marks a significant attempt to establish legal accountability for administrative practices that allegedly prioritized federal funding over probable cause.
Residents may see continued legal scrutiny of traffic enforcement tactics as the court reviews disputed records and video evidence. This process will determine whether additional oversight or policy changes are required for the local police department.
The takeaway
The upcoming trial highlights the ongoing tension between departmental metric targets and the fundamental requirement for probable cause in traffic stops. Residents should remain aware that legal proceedings regarding these administrative practices will continue until at least 2028.
What happens next
The class action trial is scheduled to begin on July 31, 2028.
Further reading
For ongoing updates regarding legal actions involving local authorities, visit the Honolulu Law Enforcement section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Court House News Service.
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