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| What is a Land Court Petition in Hawaii? |
| Introduction |
There are 2 systems of recording real property documents in Hawaii including the Regular System and the Land Court System. Real properties in Hawaii fall under either system, or sometimes fall under both via a Double System, in which a property is recorded under both the Regular System and Land Court System.
Unlike the Regular System, the Land Court System issues a Transfer Certificate of Title that records the present ownership of real property and proves title for land recorded under the Land Court System. This Transfer Certificate of Title needs to be updated whenever any change in ownership occurs.
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| Land Court Petition – Reports a Change in Ownership of Land |
A Land Court Petition is a document filed with the Land Court Judiciary in Hawaii to notify of an important life event such as a death, divorce or marriage. This notification requests a change to a property’s title on the Transfer Certificate of Title, as noted above.
The Regular System does not require submission of a document that is similar to the Land Court Petition. As such, it is important to remember to submit the Land Court Petition to notify of any significant change that takes place in your life, such as a death, divorce, or marriage for any real property that you own in Hawaii that falls under the Land Court System.
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| Land Court Petition must be submitted with Evidence |
| The Land Court Petition must be submitted with evidence that is needed to prove a change in title. For example, if present title as provided in the Transfer Certificate of title is “William Smith and Maria Smith, husband and wife, as Tenants by the Entirety,” and Maria Smith passes away, a death certificate of Maria Smith must be submitted with the Land Court Petition to report the fact of her death and to have her name removed from title as noted in the Transfer Certificate of Title. |
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| Conclusion |
| Many people think that a real property deed is the only document to which a change to title needs to be noted. However, if you own land that falls under the Land Court System, you will need to file a Land Court Petition separately to note an important change to your life that might affect title to your property. Therefore, it is good to be aware of the Land Court Petition so that you can make sure to file it to report any change to title that needs to be reflected on the Transfer Certificate of Title of your Land Court property. |
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| I started a podcast for the Hongo Law Office, LLLC! |
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While I will mainly discuss estate planning/administration issues by myself each month, I also welcome guests on my podcast. I am now inviting anyone to be on my show. Please email me at yuka.hongo12@gmail.com if any of you might be interested in appearing as a guest on my show!
Please listen to my second podcast from the link below. The topic relates to the 10-year rule for inheritance taxes in Japan and the Foreign Tax Credit.
Estate Planning/Administration Issues from Hawaii |
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| Client Comments |
| "Lawyers in the U.S. can be difficult to talk to at times, but I think people find it easy to talk to Ms. Hongo. I also like the fact that Ms. Hongo follows up with her clients on a timely basis." |
| Sachiko Trillo, Honolulu |
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| "Hongo Tsuji Tax & Consulting, our accounting firm, introduced me to Ms. Hongo. I consulted her with regards to estate planning, and I appreciated the fact that she took care of our documents in a timely manner." |
| K.A., Tokyo |
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| "I appreciated Ms. Hongo's professional expertise and the kind way in which she took care of our matter. I am truly happy that she helped us." |
| Mitsuko Seto, Osaka |
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| "Ms. Hongo not only prepared my trust, but also took care of legal matters involving my company. Her fee is reasonable and she follows up with you in a timely manner." |
| S. Suzuki, Company Owner |
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| "Ms. Hongo took care of our matter in a kind manner. We liked the fact that her office was located in Waikiki, near our home." |
| Sugiyama, Waikiki |
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| "I became a successor to 2 condominiums that my wife owned in Hawaii, after my wife passed away. Ms. Hongo took care of our probate matter in a short timeframe of 1 year. We feel very grateful to her." |
| Shuichi Sakamoto, Nasu |
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| "Our clients were very satisfied with Ms. Hongo's service because she was able to explain matters such as probate in an easy-to-understand manner. Ms. Hongo is someone we can rely on for any matter." |
| Noboru Ohhashi, List Sotheby's, Tokyo |
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| "Given that the U.S. real estate recording process and its pertaining laws differ from those of Japan, and it is difficult to learn about them in English, I appreciated Ms. Hongo being able to explain them to me in an understandable manner. I would like to seek her help in the future for other matters." |
| K. Iwasaki, Honolulu |
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| "Ms. Hongo helped me with the estate planning for my real estate in Hawaii. I was glad she was able to help me during her visit in Japan." |
| S.T., Kawasaki |
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| "It was our long-term goal to prepare a trust for our family. We are now able to take the next step in our lives, as Ms. Hongo applied her proficient bilingual skills to efficiently take care of our matter. We are very grateful for what she did for us." |
| A.P., Honolulu |
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| Attorney Yuka Hongo has been included as an honored listee in Marquis Who's Who for 2024. Marquis has chronicled the lives of accomplished individuals and innovators since 1898. |
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| Hongo Law Office LLLC is proud to have been acknowledged as one of the "Best Probate Attorneys in Honolulu for 2025" by Expertise.com. |
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| Attorney Yuka Hongo has been named a 2025 Elite Lawyer in the area of Estate Planning in Hawaii. The award recognizes attorneys who have displayed a high level of competence in their practice. |
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| You're invited to call or email |
"If you have questions about estate planning and administration, please don't hesitate to call. I'll be glad to hear from you." – Yuka
Call (808) 237-9944 or email yuka.hongo12@gmail.com |
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| Meet Yuka Hongo, Esq. |
| Yuka Hongo is a respected estate planning attorney based in Honolulu, Hawaii. She has practiced law for 10 years and is fluent in both English and Japanese. |
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Practice Areas: Yuka represents clients in matters related to estate planning such as the preparation of Trusts, Wills, and the Transfer on Death Deed. She also provides services in the area of estate administration, including probate.
Education: In 2000, Yuka graduated from Oberlin College (Oberlin, OH), where she earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics and East Asian Studies. In 2004, she graduated from Loyola Law School (Los Angeles, CA), where she earned her Juris Doctor Degree. In 2022, Yuka graduated from Keio University (Tokyo, Japan) where she earned a Master of Laws Degree.
Court Admissions and Bar Memberships: Yuka is a member of the Hawaii, California, the District of Columbia Bar, and New York Bar Associations. Yuka is a member of the Advisory Committee for the Hawaii Tax Institute Program.
Additional Qualifications: Yuka is a Certifying Acceptance Agent who can obtain the ITIN tax number for foreigners in the U.S. In addition, she is a Life Insurance Agent and a licensed Notary Public in the State of Hawaii. Also, Yuka is fully bilingual in Japanese and English and has in-depth legal work experience working with both languages.
Multicultural Background: Yuka has experience living and working in both the U.S. and Japan and has a thorough understanding of both cultures in these two countries. In addition, she loves working with people from other multicultural backgrounds and working on international matters.
Educational Presentations: Yuka has presented seminars in Japan and in the U.S. relating to various estate planning/estate administration issues.
Residence & Interests: Yuka lives in Honolulu, Hawaii and is single. She enjoys scoping out new eateries and restaurants. |
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