Opinion ID: 2626511
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: standard of review

Text: The existence of subject matter jurisdiction is a question of law that is reviewable de novo under the right/wrong standard. Aames Funding Corp. v. Mores, 107 Hawai`i 95, 98, 110 P.3d 1042, 1045 (2005) (internal quotation marks, brackets, and citations omitted). If a court lacks jurisdiction over the subject matter of a proceeding, any judgment rendered in that proceeding is invalid. Therefore, such a question is valid at any stage of the case, and though a [circuit] court is found to have lacked jurisdiction, we have jurisdiction here on appeal, not of the merits, but for the purpose of correcting an error in jurisdiction. Bush v. Hawaiian Homes Comm'n, 76 Hawai`i 128, 133, 870 P.2d 1272, 1277 (1994) (internal quotation marks, original brackets, and citation omitted).
This court reviews the circuit court's FOFs under the clearly erroneous standard. Ueoka v. Szymanski, 107 Hawai`i 386, 393, 114 P.3d 892, 899 (2005) (citations omitted). A[n] [FOF] is clearly erroneous when, despite evidence to support the finding, the appellate court is left with the definite and firm conviction in reviewing the entire evidence that a mistake has been committed. A[n] [FOF] is also clearly erroneous when the record lacks substantial evidence to support the finding. We have defined substantial evidence as credible evidence which is of sufficient quality and probative value to enable a person of reasonable caution to support a conclusion. Bremer v. Weeks, 104 Hawai`i 43, 51, 85 P.3d 150, 158 (2004) (quoting Beneficial Hawai`i, Inc. v. Kida, 96 Hawai`i 289, 305, 30 P.3d 895, 911 (2001)).
This court reviews the circuit court's COLs de novo. Id. at 51, 85 P.3d at 158 (citation omitted). A COL is not binding upon an appellate court and is freely reviewable for its correctness. Allstate Ins. Co. v. Ponce, 105 Hawai`i 445, 453, 99 P.3d 96, 104 (2004) (citations and internal quotations marks omitted). Moreover, a COL that is supported by the [circuit] court's FOFs and that reflects an application of the correct rule of law will not be overturned. Id. (citation omitted, internal quotation marks, and original brackets omitted).