Civil jurisdiction
The District Court has limited civil jurisdiction. For a contract, quasi-contract or tort claim to be handled by the District Court, it should be for an amount over HK$75,000 but not more than HK$3 million. [2] If the claim is more than HK$3 million, the claim can still be pursued in the District Court (instead of the Court of First Instance of the High Court) provided that the excess is abandoned. [3] If the claim is HK$75,000 or less, an adverse costs order may be made against the winning plaintiff due to pursuing its claim in the wrong court.
If the plaintiff's claim does not exceed HK$3 million, but the defendant counterclaims for over HK$3 million, the claim and the counterclaim (or the counterclaim only) may be transferred to the Court of First Instance of the High Court. For good reasons, the District Court may continue to handle the whole case even when the counterclaim exceeds HK$3 million, but a report has to be made to the High Court, which may order that the case be transferred. [4]
As to claims for possession of land, the District Court can deal with buildings or premises the annual rent or rateable value or the annual value of which does not exceed HK$320,000. [5]
If a claimant invokes the District Court's equity jurisdiction, the above limits are equally applicable, except that in proceedings wholly relating to land, the maximum value shall not exceed HK$7 million. [6]
Distraint claims are handled by the District Court.
The District Court has exclusive jurisdiction to determine claims for compensation payable under the Employees' Compensation Ordinance (Cap. 282), regardless of the amount. [7] Such claims are governed by the Employees' Compensation (Rules of Court) Rules (Cap. 282B) [8] and Practice Direction 18.2. [9]
The District Court has exclusive jurisdiction to deal with claims made under the Sex Discrimination Ordinance (Cap. 480), [10] the Disability Discrimination Ordinance (Cap. 487), [11] the Family Status Discrimination Ordinance (Cap. 527) [12] and the Race Discrimination Ordinance (Cap. 602). [13] Such claims are governed by the District Court Equal Opportunities Rules (Cap. 336G) [14] and Practice Direction SL8. [15]
The District Court has jurisdiction to handle claims by the Inland Revenue Department against defaulting taxpayers to recover outstanding tax due to the Government, regardless of the amount. [16] The District Court also hears appeals from taxpayers against assessments by the Collector of Stamp Duty. [17]
Criminal jurisdiction
The system is modelled after the English legal system, with indictable offences being taken up by the District Court if they are transferred from the magistrate's court.
The District Court hears all serious cases except murder, manslaughter rape and dangerous drug cases where large quantities of drugs have been seized, and can impose a sentence of up to seven years. Cases are heard in either the Cantonese or English language.
A District Court Judge sits alone without a jury. From its establishment in 1953 there have been no juries in the district court. The Attorney General at the time the District Court Ordinance was passed, Arthur Ridehalgh, explained to the Legislative Council that juries were "not infallible" and only a "means to an end" and that every practitioner will have come across cases where a verdict of not guilty was either a "stupid or perverse one." Judges would be required to give reasons for verdict would should be sufficient safeguard. [18]
Hong Kong 
