Magistrates' courts | |
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![]() Kwun Tong Magistrates' Court | |
Location | Hong Kong |
Authorised by | Hong Kong Basic Law, Magistrates Ordinance (Cap. 227) |
Appeals to | Court of First Instance of the High Court; further appeal to the Court of Final Appeal in limited circumstances [1] |
Website | Official website |
Chief Magistrate | |
Currently | Mr Victor SO Wai-tak |
Magistrates' court | |||||||||||
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Chinese | 香港裁判法院 | ||||||||||
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This article is part of the series: Courts of Hong Kong |
Law of Hong Kong |
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Magistrates' courts form the lowest tier of criminal courts in Hong Kong. They have criminal jurisdiction over a wide range of offences, and in general these offences must only constitute two years' imprisonment or a fine of HK$100,000; in certain circumstances, sentences of three years may be imposed. Their jurisdiction and sentencing powers are set out in the Magistrates Ordinance (Cap. 227).
All criminal proceedings must begin in the magistrates' courts; the Secretary for Justice may transfer cases to either the District Court or the Court of First Instance depending on the seriousness of the crime. [2] Summary offences can only be tried in a magistrates' court, [3] while indictable-only and either-way offences are commonly transferred to the District Court or Court of First Instance for trial. The magistrates' courts are the busiest in Hong Kong, with a caseload of 379,547 in 2024. [4]
Cases are always heard before a single magistrate, who must have qualified as a barrister or solicitor either in Hong Kong or in another common law jurisdiction and have had substantial professional experience. Defendants may be represented by a solicitor or barrister, and may seek advice from duty lawyers stationed in the courts.
Legal aid is not available for proceedings in the magistrates' courts; instead, the publicly-funded Duty Lawyer Service provides legal representation by qualified lawyers in private practice for eligible defendants. [5]
Barristers and solicitors have equal rights of audience before the magistrates' courts. As such, solicitors can be commonly found performing advocacy duties where a barrister would otherwise be instructed.
Lawyers appearing in the magistrates' courts do not have to wear court dress, and typically appear in business attire.
Cases in the magistrates' courts are prosecuted by government counsel, barristers or solicitors in private practice prosecuting on fiat, or lay "court prosecutors", who are not required to be legally qualified.
The magistrates' courts are the only courts in Hong Kong that involve the participation of lay prosecutors, known as court prosecutors, who prosecute the majority of cases in these courts. [6] Court prosecutors were introduced in 1976 to take over the role of police inspectors in prosecuting cases before the magistrates. While court prosecutors are not required to have legal qualifications, a small number do, and all court prosecutors are required to undergo a 9-month training programme on advocacy skills, the rules of evidence, substantive law, and prosecutorial ethics. [7] As of 2015, there were 80 court prosecutors, 31 of which had obtained a PCLL or LLB equivalent, and 6 of which were fully qualified solicitors or barristers. [8]
Magistrates are judicial officers appointed by the Chief Executive on the recommendation of the Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission. Since 2019, the retirement age for magistrates is 65. [9]
Magistrates are not judges; only those sitting in the District Court or above are known as judges. Magistrates may be addressed as your Worship, and typically wear a closed black gown, a wing collar, and bands while sitting in court. Magistrates do not wear wigs in court.
The Chief Magistrate is the court leader and is responsible for the overall administration of the magistrates' courts.
A principal magistrate is in charge of one of the seven magistrates' courts.
A permanent magistrate is a full-time magistrate, and is assigned to sit in one of the seven magistrates' courts.
The Chief Justice appoints on a temporary basis a number of principal and permanent magistrates to sit as a Master in the High Court [10] or to sit as a Deputy District Judge or Master in the District Court, Family Court or Lands Tribunal. [11] [12] [13] The Chief Justice also appoints a number of permanent magistrates to sit as Presiding Officers in the Labour Tribunal and Adjudicators in the Small Claims Tribunal. [14] [15]
A special magistrate is also a full-time magistrate, but is assigned to deal with various kinds of departmental summons including minor offenses such as traffic contraventions. Their sentencing power is limited to a maximum fine of HK$50,000 or as specified in their warrants of appointment.
A deputy magistrate or deputy special magistrate is assigned by the Chief Justice for such period and on such terms as the chief justice thinks fit. This makes additional manpower available to the magistrates' courts while also giving eligible persons experience on the bench, before the magistrate commits to a full-time posting or returns to private practice.
The current permanent magistrates (as at 1 January 2023) are (ranked according to seniority):
No. | Name | Tenure start | Tenure end | Tenure length | Reason for tenure end | Later most senior judicial role |
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1 | Louis Tong Po-sun | 2 March 1998 | 2 October 2000 | 2 years and 215 days | Appointed Judge of the Court of First Instance | Same (retired) |
2 | Patrick Li Hon-leung | 3 October 2000 | 1 February 2007 | 6 years and 122 days | Appointed District Court Judge | Judge of the Court of First Instance (retired) |
3 | Tong Man | 2 July 2008 | 15 September 2013 | 6 years and 122 days | Retired | None (retired) |
4 | Clement Lee Hing-nin | 11 March 2014 | 2 January 2018 | 3 years and 298 days | Appointed District Court Judge | Same |
5 | Victor So Wai-tak | 6 January 2020 | Incumbent | 5 years and 236 days |
Court | Opened | Address | Jurisdiction |
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Eastern | 28 January 1991 | Eastern Law Courts Building, 29 Tai On Street, Sai Wan Ho | Hong Kong Island, Islands District (except Lantau Island) |
West Kowloon | 28 December 2016 | West Kowloon Law Courts Building, 501 Tung Chau Street, Cheung Sha Wan | Sham Shui Po, Mong Kok, Kwai Tsing, Tsuen Wan, Lantau Island |
Kowloon City | 3 July 2001 | Kowloon City Law Courts Building, 147M Argyle Street, Kowloon City | Kowloon City, Yau Ma Tei, Tsim Sha Tsui, Wong Tai Sin |
Kwun Tong | 1980 | Kwun Tong Law Courts Building, 10 Lei Yue Mun Road | Kwun Tong, Wong Tai Sin, Sai Kung, Tseung Kwan O |
Tuen Mun | 24 September 1987 | Tuen Mun Law Courts Building, 1 Tuen Hi Road, Tuen Mun | Tuen Mun, Yuen Long |
Fanling | 2 July 2002 | Fanling Law Courts Building, 1 Pik Fung Road, Fanling | Tai Po, North District |
Sha Tin | 1987 | Shatin Law Courts Building, 1 Yi Ching Lane, Sha Tin | Sha Tin, Ma On Shan |
Court | Opened | Closed | Address | Subsequent use |
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Central Magistracy | 1979 | 1 Arbuthnot Road, Central | Supreme Court, Immigration Department, Central Police Station, now part of Tai Kwun complex | |
Causeway Bay Magistracy | 1960 | 1986 | 20 Electric Road, Causeway Bay | Demolished — now part of Tin Hau MTR station and Park Towers |
Western Magistracy | 2004 | 2A Pok Ful Lam Road, Sai Ying Pun | Labour Department, Drainage Services Department | |
South Kowloon Magistrates' Court | 1936 | 1 July 2000 | 36-38 Gascoigne Road, Yau Ma Tei | Labour Tribunal, Lands Tribunal |
North Kowloon Magistracy | 2005 | 292 Tai Po Road, Shek Kip Mei | Savannah College of Arts and Design (2010-2020) | |
San Po Kong Magistrates' Courts | 26 July 1971 | 2001 | 690 Prince Edward Road East, San Po Kong | Demolished — now part of Mikiki and the Latitude |
Fanling Magistracy | 1961 | 2002 | 302 Jockey Club Road, Fanling | Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups |
Tsuen Wan Magistrates' Court | 1971 | 2016 | 70 Tai Ho Road, Tsuen Wan | Shatin-Central Link inquiry, temporary District Court courtrooms |