Courts generally presume that a lawsuit has been filed in good faith, and a party moving for sanctions against the party who filed a lawsuit or claim must overcome this presumption to prove abuse of the judicial process. Thus, courts distinguish between (1) claims that are ultimately found to be merely groundless (and thus not sanctionable) and (2) claims that are ultimately found to be both groundless and brought in bad faith or for the purpose of harassment (and thus sanctionable). The sanctions rules generally do not require a party or its attorney to be right; they require the party or its attorney to make a reasonable inquiry into the facts and the laws related to the claims.

Contempt of court is broadly defined as disobedience to or disrespect of a court by acting in opposition to its authority. Contempt of court may be punished by the court with civil and criminal sanctions or penalties.

In Hawaii, as in other jurisdictions, there is a legal presumption that lawsuits are filed in good faith. For a party to be sanctioned for filing a lawsuit, the opposing party must demonstrate that the lawsuit was not only groundless but also filed in bad faith or for purposes of harassment. This is in line with the principle that while a claim may not succeed, it is not necessarily sanctionable unless it is found to be frivolous and intended to abuse the judicial process. Hawaii's rules regarding sanctions are designed to ensure that parties and their attorneys conduct a reasonable investigation into the facts and applicable laws before filing claims. Regarding contempt of court, Hawaii recognizes this as an act of disobedience or disrespect towards the court's authority. Contempt can be met with either civil or criminal sanctions, depending on the nature of the contemptuous behavior. The court has the discretion to determine the appropriate penalty for contemptuous actions.