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District Court (Hong Kong)
The District Court is the intermediate court system in Hong Kong, having limited criminal law, criminal and civil law (common law), civil jurisdictions. The District Court was established in 1953 with the enactment of the District Court Ordinance. From 1991 to 2020, the court sat exclusively in the Wanchai Law Courts, Wanchai Tower, 12 Harbour Road, until the increase in protest-related cases with large numbers of defendants necessitated some trials to be conducted in the West Kowloon Law Courts Building, the Eastern Law Courts Building, and the Tsuen Wan Law Courts Building instead. Until March 1991, there were six district courts, namely Former French Mission Building, Victoria, Old South Kowloon District Court, Kowloon, Former Fanling Magistracy, Fanling, :File:Tsuen Wan Magistracy.JPG, Tsuen Wan, :File:HK Tuen Mun Law Courts Tuen Hing Road.JPG, Tuen Mun and :File:HK Shatin Magistrates Courts View1.jpg, Sha Tin, before being amalgamated into the current District Court ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wan Chai
Wan Chai (Traditional Chinese characters, Chinese: 灣仔) is located in the western part of Wan Chai District on the northern shore of Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It is bounded by Canal Road, Hong Kong, Canal Road to the east, Arsenal Street to the west, and Bowen Road to the south. The area north of Gloucester Road, Hong Kong, Gloucester Road is often called Wan Chai North. Wan Chai is one of the busiest commercial areas in Hong Kong with offices of many small and medium-sized companies. Wan Chai North features office towers, parks, hotels and an international conference and exhibition centre. Wan Chai is also well known for its famous night life which has evolved over decades. As one of the first areas developed in Hong Kong, There are various landmarks and List of tallest buildings in Hong Kong, skyscrapers within the area, most notably the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), Central Plaza (Hong Kong), Central Plaza and Hopewell Centre (Hong Kong), Hop ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Court Of First Instance (Hong Kong)
The Court of First Instance is the lower court of the High Court of Hong Kong, the upper court being the Court of Appeal. Formerly the High Court of Justice of the Supreme Court of Hong Kong, it was renamed the Court of First Instance by the Basic Law after the handover of Hong Kong. The Court of First Instance is the highest court in Hong Kong that can hear cases at first instance with unlimited jurisdiction in both civil and criminal matters. It hears predominantly civil cases but only relatively few criminal cases were heard at first instance, mostly involving the most serious crimes such as homicide offences, rape, serious drugs offences and major commercial frauds. It is also an appellate court hearing appeals against decisions made by Masters as well as those of: * Magistrates' Courts * Small Claims Tribunal * Obscene Articles Tribunal * Labour Tribunal *Minor Employment Claims Adjudication Board It is the only court in Hong Kong where cases are tried by a judge with a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Barrister
A barrister is a type of lawyer in common law jurisdiction (area), jurisdictions. Barristers mostly specialise in courtroom advocacy and litigation. Their tasks include arguing cases in courts and tribunals, drafting legal pleadings, jurisprudence, researching the law and giving legal opinions. Barristers are distinguished from solicitors and other types of lawyers (e.g. chartered legal executives) who have more direct access to clients, and may do transactional legal work. In some legal systems, including those of Anglo-Dutch law, South Africa, Stockholm Institute for Scandinavian Law#Scandinavian Law, Scandinavia, Law of Pakistan, Pakistan, Law of India, India, Law of Bangladesh, Bangladesh and the Crown Dependencies of Law of Jersey, Jersey, Guernsey#Politics, Guernsey and the Manx Law, Isle of Man, ''barrister'' is also regarded as an honorific. In a few jurisdictions barristers are usually forbidden from "conducting" litigation, and can only act on the instructions of ano ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Arthur Ridehalgh
Arthur Ridehalgh QC (1907-1971) served as a government lawyer in a number of British colonies in the mid 20th Century. His last position was as Attorney General of Hong Kong. Early life Ridehalgh was born on 10 April 1907. He was the 4th son of James and Amelia Ridehalgh of Oakland, Barrowford, Lancashire in England. He was educated at Terra Nova Preparatory School, Birkdale School and Sedbergh School. He then attended Wadham College, Oxford where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts. He was called to the bar of Gray's Inn in 1929 and joined the Northern Circuit and practised in Manchester. Legal appointments In 1935, he was appointed Crown Attorney and Magistrate, St Kitts, Leeward Islands. In 1939, he was appointed Crown Counsel in the Gold Coast (present day Ghana). In 1946, he was appointed Solicitor General in Nigeria. He acted from time to time as Attorney General while in Nigeria. He was made a King's Counsel in 1949. In 1952, he was appointed Attorney General o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
English Language
English is a West Germanic language that developed in early medieval England and has since become a English as a lingua franca, global lingua franca. The namesake of the language is the Angles (tribe), Angles, one of the Germanic peoples that Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain, migrated to Britain after its End of Roman rule in Britain, Roman occupiers left. English is the list of languages by total number of speakers, most spoken language in the world, primarily due to the global influences of the former British Empire (succeeded by the Commonwealth of Nations) and the United States. English is the list of languages by number of native speakers, third-most spoken native language, after Mandarin Chinese and Spanish language, Spanish; it is also the most widely learned second language in the world, with more second-language speakers than native speakers. English is either the official language or one of the official languages in list of countries and territories where English ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cantonese Language
Cantonese is the traditional prestige variety of Yue Chinese, a Sinitic languages, Sinitic language belonging to the Sino-Tibetan language family. It originated in the city of Guangzhou (formerly known as Canton) and its surrounding Pearl River Delta. While the term ''Cantonese'' specifically refers to the prestige variety, in linguistics it has often been used to refer to the entire Yue subgroup of Chinese, including related but partially mutually intelligible varieties like Taishanese. Cantonese is viewed as a vital and inseparable part of the cultural identity for its Cantonese people, native speakers across large swaths of South China, southeastern China, Hong Kong and Macau, as well as in Overseas Chinese, overseas communities. In mainland China, it is the ''lingua franca'' of the province of Guangdong (being the majority language of the Pearl River Delta) and neighbouring areas such as Guangxi. It is also the dominant and co-official language of Hong Kong and Macau. Further ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Magistrates' Court (Hong Kong)
Magistrates' courts in Hong Kong have criminal jurisdiction over a wide range of offenses, and in general these offenses must only constitute two years' imprisonment or a fine of HK$100,000; in certain circumstances, sentences of three years may be imposed. 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. Summary offences can only be tried in a magistrates' court, while indictable-only and either-way offences are commonly transferred to the District Court or Court of First Instance for trial. 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. Magistrates Appointment and retirement Since 2019, the retirement age for magistrates is 65. Types of magi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
English Legal System
English law is the common law legal system of England and Wales, comprising mainly criminal law and civil law, each branch having its own courts and procedures. The judiciary is independent, and legal principles like fairness, equality before the law, and the right to a fair trial are foundational to the system. Principal elements Although the common law has, historically, been the foundation and prime source of English law, the most authoritative law is statutory legislation, which comprises Acts of Parliament, regulations and by-laws. In the absence of any statutory law, the common law with its principle of ''stare decisis'' forms the residual source of law, based on judicial decisions, custom, and usage. Common law is made by sitting judges who apply both statutory law and established principles which are derived from the reasoning from earlier decisions. Equity is the other historic source of judge-made law. Common law can be amended or repealed by Parliament. Not ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stamp Duty
Stamp duty is a tax that is levied on single property purchases or documents (including, historically, the majority of legal documents such as cheques, receipts, military commissions, marriage licences and land transactions). Historically, a physical revenue stamp had to be attached to or impressed upon the document to show that stamp duty had been paid before the document was legally effective. More modern versions of the tax no longer require an actual stamp. The duty is thought to have originated in Venice in 1604, being introduced (or re-invented) in Spain in the 1610s, the Spanish Netherlands in the 1620s, France in 1651, and England in 1694. German economist Silvio Gesell proposed in 1891 that demurrage currency could be enabled by stamp duties, which would in turn stimulate economic growth. Gesell referred to this monetary policy as Freigeld. Usage by country Australia The Australian Federal Government does not levy stamp duty. However, stamp duties are levied ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hong Kong Government
The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (commonly known as the Hong Kong Government or HKSAR Government) is the Executive (government), executive authorities of Hong Kong. It was established on 1 July 1997, following the handover of Hong Kong. The Chief Executive of Hong Kong, Chief Executive and the Principal officials of Hong Kong, principal officials are appointed by the State Council of the People's Republic of China in accordance with the outcome of local processes. The Government Secretariat (Hong Kong), Government Secretariat is headed by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Chief Secretary of Hong Kong, who is the most senior principal official of the Government. The Chief Secretary and the other Secretary of State, secretaries jointly oversee the administration of Hong Kong, give advice to the Chief Executive as members of the Executive Council of Hong Kong, Executive Council, and are Accountability#Political accountability, accountable for th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Inland Revenue Department (Hong Kong)
The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) is the Hong Kong government department responsible for collecting taxes and duties. History The Inland Revenue Department was established on 1 April 1947. Initially it administered only one piece of legislation, the Inland Revenue Ordinance, which was enacted on 3 May 1947. The department subsequently absorbed various elements of the Treasury, including the Estate Duty Office (in 1949), the Stamp Duty Office (1956), and responsibility for collection of entertainments, bets and sweeps, and public dance-halls taxes (1956). In December 1979, the department's headquarters moved to Windsor House in Causeway Bay, a building that was specially designed with a second lift core for the department. In order to save on rental costs, the department moved again, in December 1991, to the eponymous government-owned Revenue Tower in Wanchai, where it remains headquartered as of 2020. Ordinances administered The IRD is responsible for the administration ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Distraint
Distraint or distress is "the seizure of someone’s property in order to obtain payment of rent or other money owed", especially in common law countries. Distraint is the act or process "whereby a person (the ''distrainor''), traditionally even without prior court approval, seizes the personal property of another located upon the distrainor's land in satisfaction of a claim, as a pledge for performance of a duty, or in reparation of an injury." Distraint typically involves the seizure of goods ( chattels) belonging to the tenant by the landlord to sell the goods for the payment of the rent. In the past, distraint was often carried out without court approval. Today, some kind of court action is usually required, the main exception being certain tax authorities – such as HM Revenue and Customs in the United Kingdom and the Internal Revenue Service in the United States – and other agencies that retain the legal power to levy assets (by either seizure or distraint) without a cou ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
