Introduction pdf version
- Hong Kong's courts and its judiciary
- What is the structure of Hong Kong courts?
- Court Registries and enquiries
- Court Supporting Services
- Legal Reference and Library Section
- Court Language Section
- Press and Public Relations Office
- General Enquiries
Hong Kong's courts and its judiciary
The Judiciary is responsible for the administration of justice in Hong Kong. It hears all prosecutions and civil disputes. It is completely independent of the executive authorities and legislature.
What is the structure of Hong Kong courts?
The Court of Final Appeal is the highest appellate court in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It has jurisdiction in respect of matters conferred on it by the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal Ordinance, Cap. 484 and by any other law. It hears appeals on civil and criminal matters from the High Court (the Court of Appeal and the Court of First Instance).
The Court of Appeal hears appeals on all civil and criminal matters from the Court of First Instance and the District Court. It also hears appeals from Competition Tribunal, Lands Tribunal and various Tribunals and Statutory Bodies.
The Court of First Instance has unlimited jurisdiction in both civil and criminal matters. It also hears appeals from Magistrates’ Courts, the Small Claims Tribunal, the Obscene Articles Tribunal, the Labour Tribunal and the Minor Employment Claims Adjudication Board. For criminal trials, judges of the Court of First Instance sit with a jury of seven (nine on the special direction of the judge).
The Competition Tribunal is a superior court of record set up by the Competition Ordinance, Cap 619 to deal with legal proceedings concerning competition matters.
The District Court hears civil disputes of a value over $75,000 but not more than $3 million. Its criminal jurisdiction is limited to 7 years’ imprisonment.
The Family Court deals mainly with divorce cases and related matters such as maintenance and the welfare of children.
There are 7 Magistrates' Courts. They exercise criminal jurisdiction over a wide range of indictable and summary offences meriting up to 2 years’ imprisonment and a fine of $100,000. However the court may impose sentences of up to 3 years’ imprisonment where there are two or more indictable offences being dealt with at the same time. Indeed under some Ordinances a single offence may carry 3 years’ imprisonment and a fine of $5 million.
The Lands Tribunal has jurisdiction to determine applications by landlords for possession of premises under the Landlord and Tenant (Consolidation) Ordinance, Cap. 7 or under the Common Law. The Tribunal also deals with cases arising from disputes in relation to building management. The Tribunal also hears applications for the determination of compensations caused by land resumption and payable by the Government because of public developments pursuant to the relevant ordinances, and determine appeals against the assessment of rateable value / government rent or market value of property under the Housing Ordinance. The Tribunal can determine applications made by majority owners of a land for the sale of the land for redevelopment purpose under the Land (Compulsory Sale for Redevelopment) Ordinance, Cap. 545.
The Labour Tribunal deals with labour disputes. There is no upper limit on the amount of claim, but the Tribunal only hears cases which the amount of claim exceeds $8,000 for at least one of the claimants in a claim or which the number of claimants in the claim exceeds 10. Hearings are informal and no legal representation is allowed.
The Small Claims Tribunal hears civil claims within its jurisdiction of up to $75,000. Hearings are informal and no representation by lawyers is allowed.
The Obscene Articles Tribunal determines and classifies whether or not an article or other matter publicly displayed is obscene or indecent.
The Coroner's Court conducts investigations and if necessary holds inquests into the deaths.
The Juvenile Court hears charges against children or young persons under the age of 16, except where the charge is one of homicide. It may also make care or protection orders in respect of children or juveniles. It sits in the Eastern, Kowloon City, West Kowloon, Fanling and Tuen Mun Magistrates’ Courts.
Court Registries and enquiries
Each court has its own registry which is responsible for filing documents, listing cases for hearing, and providing support to judges and judicial officers. The following are the addresses and enquiry telephone numbers of these registries:
Court of Final Appeal Registry
| Address: | 8 Jackson Road, Central, Hong Kong |
| Telephone: | 2123 0123 |
| Facsimile: | 2121 0300 |
High Court Registry
| Address: | LG1 Floor, 38 Queensway, Hong Kong |
| Telephone: | 2523 2212 |
| Facsimile: | 2524 9725 |
Clerk of Court’s Office
| Address: | G/F, High Court Building, 38 Queensway, Hong Kong |
| Telephone: | 2825 4672 |
| Facsimile: | 2530 3512 |
Competition Tribunal Registry
| Address: | Room LG343, LG3, High Court Building, 38 Queensway, Hong Kong |
| Telephone: | 2825 0426 |
| Facsimile: | 2487 5509 |
District Court Registry
| Address: | Wanchai Law Courts, 6/F, Wanchai Tower, |
| 12 Harbour Road, Hong Kong | |
| Telephone: | 2845 5696 |
| Facsimile: | 2824 1641 |
Family Court Registry
| Address: | Wanchai Law Courts, M2/F, Wanchai Tower, |
| 12 Harbour Road, Hong Kong | |
| Telephone: | 2840 1218 |
| Facsimile: | 2523 9170 |
Magistrates’ Courts
General Enquiry Telephone: 2677 8373
Eastern Magistrates’ Courts
| Address: | 4/F – 7/F, Eastern Law Courts Building, |
| 29 Tai On Street, Sai Wan Ho, Hong Kong | |
| Facsimile: | 2886 5034 |
Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts
| Address: | 147M, Argyle Street, Kowloon |
| Facsimile: | 2351 4708 |
Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts
| Address: | 10 Lei Yue Mun Road, Kowloon |
| Facsimile: | 2347 4595 |
West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts
| Address: | 3/F-7/F, Tower A, West Kowloon Law Courts Building, 501 Tung Chau Street, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon |
| Facsimile: | 2413 8737 |
Fanling Magistrates’ Courts
| Address: | 1 Pik Fung Road, Fanling, New Territories |
| Facsimile: | 2675 5245 |
Shatin Magistrates’ Courts
| Address: | 1 Yi Ching Lane, Shatin, New Territories |
| Facsimile: | 2602 2872 |
Tuen Mun Magistrates’ Courts
| Address: | 1 Tuen Hi Road, Tuen Mun, New Territories |
| Facsimile: | 2459 1292 |
Lands Tribunal
| Address: | 38 Gascoigne Road, Kowloon |
| Telephone: | 2771 3034 |
| Facsimile: | 2384 4901 / 2384 4896 |
Labour Tribunal
| Address: | 36 Gascoigne Road, Kowloon |
| Telephone: | 2625 0020 |
| Facsimile: | 2513 6797 / 2625 0556 |
Small Claims Tribunal
| Address: | 3/F, Tower B, West Kowloon Law Courts Building, 501 Tung Chau Street, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon |
| Telephone: | 2877 4068 |
| Facsimile: | 2587 9139 |
Coroner’s Court
| Address: | 9/F, Tower A, West Kowloon Law Courts Building, 501 Tung Chau Street, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon |
| Telephone: | 3916 6204 |
| Facsimile: | 2568 1735 |
Obscene Articles Tribunal
| Address: | 9/F, Tower A, West Kowloon Law Courts Building, 501 Tung Chau Street, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon, Hong Kong |
| Telephone: | 3916 6303 |
| Facsimile: | 2568 1324 |
Probate Registry
| Address: | LG3, High Court Building, 38 Queensway, Hong Kong |
| Telephone: | 2840 1683 |
| Facsimile: | 2524 7737 |
Court Supporting Services
Bailiff Section
After you have obtained a court judgment for payment of money to you, you can apply for its enforcement by Court Bailiffs if the judgment is not complied with. The Bailiff Offices are located as follows:
Bailiff Office (Admiralty and High Court)
| Address: | LG3, High Court Building, 38 Queensway, Hong Kong |
| Telephone: | 2825 4300 |
| Facsimile: | 2530 3543 |
Bailiff Office (Wanchai Tower)
| Address: | 26/F, Wanchai Tower, 12 Harbour Road, Hong Kong |
| Telephone: | 2582 3081 |
| Facsimile: | 2587 9806 |
Bailiff Office (Kwun Tong Law Courts Building)
| Address: | Room 207, 2/F, Kwun Tong Law Courts Building, 10 Lei Yue Mun Road, Kowloon |
| Telephone: | 2772 9263 |
| Facsimile: | 2952 9043 |
Bailiff Office (West Kowloon Law Courts Building)
| Address: | 10/F, Tower B, West Kowloon Law Courts Building, 501 Tung Chau Street, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon |
| Telephone: | 3916 6501 |
| Facsimile: | 2492 5309 |
Bailiff Office (Shatin Law Courts Building)
| Address: | Room 224 -227, 2/F, Shatin Law Courts Building, 1 Yi Ching Lane, Shatin, New Territories |
| Telephone: | 2694 2289 |
| Facsimile: | 2607 1430 |
Legal Reference and Library Section
The collection of the Judiciary Libraries is basically of common law materials housed mainly in the High Court Library, Court of Final Appeal Library and District Court Library. Some collections are located in the chambers, Magistrates’ Courts and Tribunals for judges and judicial officers. The Judiciary Libraries provide legal reference and information services, photocopying and other services to the judges and judicial officers, staff of the Judiciary, members of the legal profession and law students. Litigants preparing for a coming court hearing may also apply for temporary library admission for a period specified by the Judiciary.
Enquiries about application for the use of library facilities may be made to the High Court Library. Please visit the library website for more information about the library services.
Opening Hours
High Court Library
| Mondays to Fridays | 8:45 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. |
District Court Library
| Mondays to Fridays | 8:50 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. |
Court of Final Appeal Library
| Mondays to Fridays | 8:50 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. |
All libraries close on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
Judiciary Library card holders may use the High Court Library and the District Court Library. They may use the Court of Final Appeal Library on the days when their cases are being heard in the Court of Final Appeal.
Enquiry telephone numbers
| High Court Library: | 2825 4464 |
| District Court Library: | 2582 4062 |
| Court of Final Appeal Library: | 2123 0044 |
Court Language Section
The Court Language Section in the main provides interpreting services for those who are not conversant with Chinese or English in all court proceedings in Hong Kong. The Section is also responsible for certifying the translation of documents for use in court proceedings in Hong Kong. For such certification service, it is provided free for criminal cases, but a prescribed fee is charged for civil cases. The Court Language Section is located on 26/F, Wanchai Tower, 12 Harbour Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong (Tel.: 2582 2904).
Press and Public Relations Office
Apart from undertaking media related work, this office arranges visits to the Judiciary by local organisations and overseas visitors. It also prepares publications and produces videos that introduce the work and procedures of various courts and tribunals. Most of these publications are available free in the court buildings. Contents of the publications and some videos are also uploaded onto the Judiciary website .
For enquiries on guided visits to the Court of Final Appeal, please refer to the Court of Final Appeal website or call 2123 0156.
For details of other visit arrangement, please call 2123 0156.