property
Land Court (Hawaii Torrens System)
One of Hawaii's two recording systems at the Bureau of Conveyances. Land Court (HRS 501) is a Torrens registration system in which the court confirms title and issues a Certificate of Title; registration is the operative act, so a deed does not convey registered land until registered. No title by adverse possession can be acquired against registered land. The Regular System (HRS 502) records documents by grantor and grantee and follows a race-notice priority rule.
- Exam tip
- 'Certificate of Title' means Land Court. Adverse possession against Land Court land is never the right answer.
- Example
- A neighbor has used a strip of a Land Court lot for 25 years. He cannot claim it by adverse possession, though he might in the Regular System.
Related terms & state variants
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Last verified: 2026-10-23