50-586: High Court District Court Magistrates' Court Special courts and tribunals: Chief Executive Elections Legislative elections District council elections Consular missions in Hong Kong Hong Kong–China relations Hong Kong–Taiwan relations The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau ( Chinese : 民政及青年事務局 ) is a policy bureau of the Hong Kong Government . The bureau has general responsibility over local administration, with
100-549: A barrister , advocate , solicitor or judicial officer in Hong Kong or another common law jurisdiction is eligible to be appointed as a High Court Judge or Recorder . A person who has practised for at least 5 years as a barrister , advocate , solicitor or judicial officer in Hong Kong or another common law jurisdiction is eligible to be appointed as the Registrar or a Master. Full-time Judges and Recorders , as well as
150-527: A barrister or solicitor in Hong Kong. The remuneration of High Court Judges is determined by the Chief Executive on the recommendation of the independent Standing Committee on Judicial Salaries and Conditions of Service. As of 1 April 2017, a full-time Judge of the Court of First Instance receives a monthly salary of HK$ 292,650, while a Justice of Appeal receives a monthly salary of HK$ 307,050. The Chief Judge of
200-704: A case in a courtroom situated in the District Court building. This is similar to England , where the High Court sometimes sits outside London in County Courts which act as High Court District Registries. In the Jimmy Lai case, the prosecution asked the High Court for an adjournment from 1 December 2022 to 8 December 2022; the High Court added a few more days and adjourned it until 13 December 2022. On 13 December 2022,
250-428: A fixed term of a few years and sit for a few weeks in a year. Recorders may exercise all the jurisdiction, powers and privileges of a full-time Judge of the Court of First Instance. The recordership scheme was introduced in 1994 to encourage experienced practitioners who are willing to sit as a High Court Judge for a few weeks every year, but are not prepared to commit themselves to a permanent, full-time appointment. It
300-453: A political party is acceptable). All High Court Judges (regardless of whether they are full-time Judges, Recorders or Deputy Judges on temporary appointment) are addressed in court as "My Lord" or "My Lady". In court judgments and decisions, Vice Presidents of the Court of Appeal are referred to as '[surname] VP' or '[surname] V-P' (or in the plural as '[surname] and [surname] V-PP'). Justices of Appeal are referred to as '[surname] JA' (or in
350-595: A remit covering youth affairs, family planning, women's affairs, social development, fire safety, and matters related to the district councils . One of the important roles of the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau is to enhance liaison and communication with all sectors of the community including the Legislative Council and the general public. The Bureau was established on 1 July 1997 as the Home Affairs Bureau, succeeding
400-573: Is Shirley Lam who took up her post in 2022. The Bureau is divided into two branches: the Youth Affairs Branch, led by Commissioner for Youth Eric Chan, and the Home Affairs Branch, led by Deputy Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs (Home Affairs) Nick Au-Yeung. Home Affairs is responsible for policies such as: List of agencies linked to the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau: Unlike the ministry of home affairs of many other governments,
450-614: Is a statutory requirement that the Chief Executive appoint a serving or retired High Court Judge or Deputy High Court Judge to chair the Market Misconduct Tribunal (MMT) and the Securities and Futures Appeals Tribunal (SFAT). At present, Mr Justice Lunn (former Vice President of the Court of Appeal), Mr Justice Hartmann (former Justice of Appeal), Kenneth Kwok SC (former Recorder of the Court of First Instance) and Judge Tallentire (former Deputy High Court Judge) are Chairmen of
500-532: The 1966-67 riots , the City District Office scheme was introduced on 24 January 1968. The Secretariat for Chinese Affairs was retitled Secretariat for Home Affairs (SHA) on 28 February 1969. The name change was prompted by the introduction of the City District Office scheme in 1968. The SHA was organised into four Divisions (General and Traditional; Lands; Narcotics; Public Relations), two Sections (Trust Funds; Liquor Licensing), Tenancy Inquiries Bureaux and
550-637: The Chief Executive in consultation with the Chief Justice . The Electoral Affairs Commission must appoint a Judge of the Court of Final Appeal or a High Court Judge to act as returning officer for elections for the Chief Executive of Hong Kong . Similarly, it is a statutory requirement that the Chief Executive appoint a serving or retired High Court judge to be Commissioner on Interception of Communications and Surveillance (currently Mr Justice Suffiad). The Chief Executive also appoints three to six Judges of
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#1732844259089600-592: The Director of Public Prosecutions in the Department of Justice are subject to a 'sanitisation' period of 6 months upon appointment. During this period, the judge does not deal with any criminal trials or appeals or any civil cases involving the Government to maintain judicial independence and impartiality. Upon appointment as a full-time High Court Judge, one must give an undertaking not to return to practise in future as
650-522: The English High Court , where important cases may be heard by a divisional court consisting of a three- or two-member bench. All judges of the Court of First Instance also serve as members of the Competition Tribunal. The President and Deputy President of the Competition Tribunal (currently Mr Justice Harris and Madam Justice Au-Yeung respectively) are appointed by the Chief Executive on
700-803: The Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs since 2022, and is overseen by the Chief Secretary for Administration . Source: The bureau has its origins in the office of Registrar-General in 1844, who led the Census and Registration Office ( 總登記官署 ) and was responsible for overseeing and regulating the Chinese community of the British colony. In 1913, the Registrar-General became the Secretary for Chinese Affairs, overseeing
750-637: The resumption of civil administration in 1946 and continued its pre-war role, including liaison between the Chinese population and the Government and advising on Chinese law , customs and opinion. A Social Welfare Office was created within the SCA in September 1947. This was separated to form the Social Welfare Department on 1 January 1958. A Public Enquiry Service Division was formed in November 1960. Following
800-578: The transfer of sovereignty on 1 July 1997, the organisation was renamed as the Home Affairs Bureau, headed by the Secretary for Home Affairs. The bureau gained responsibility for the culture and leisure portfolios of the Broadcasting, Culture and Sport Bureau following the latter's abolition on 9 April 1998, and following the abolition of the Urban Council , Regional Council , Urban Services Department and Regional Services Department on 31 December 1999,
850-460: The CNTA comprised a Headquarters, four Divisions (District Administration, Departmental Administration and Finance, Information and Public Relations, and Public Enquiry Service), a Works Section and the Hong Kong and Kowloon Regions and their District Offices. Certain traditional and community related matters including temples, Chinese customs and marriages, cemeteries and opinion surveys, were transferred to
900-551: The CNTA on 1 April 1985 from the Home Affairs Branch, Government Secretariat. Responsibility for community centres was also acquired from the Social Welfare Department in 1985. By 1988, CNTA had added a Special Duties Division. This was followed by a Youth Division in 1992. On 1 December 1994 the CNTA was reorganised into a Home Affairs Branch in Government Secretariat and a Home Affairs Department. Following
950-626: The City District Commissioners and District Offices for Hong Kong and Kowloon. In March 1972 a Chinese Language Branch was established to administer the official languages policy and provide translation services. The same year, a Television and Films Division was created from the Television Authority Secretariat and Film Censorship Unit, both transferred from the Information Services Department. In 1973
1000-408: The Court of First Instance (currently Mr Justice Fung , Mr Justice Bharwaney and Madam Justice Lisa Wong) on the recommendation of the Chief Justice to serve as panel judges handling interception and surveillance authorisation requests from law enforcement agencies. Further, it is a statutory requirement that the Chief Executive appoint at least 2 serving or retired High Court Judges as members of
1050-401: The Court of First Instance may also hear cases in the Court of Appeal, including as a single Judge (for example, when determining applications for leave to appeal in criminal cases). Cases in the Court of First Instance are usually heard by a single Judge, though important cases may be heard by a bench consisting of more than one Judge, although this is very rare. This practice is similar to
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#17328442590891100-533: The High Court (as at 9 August 2024) are (ranked according to the priority of their respective appointments; Senior Counsels indicated by an asterisk *): Chief Judge of the High Court Justices of Appeal of the Court of Appeal of the High Court Judges of the Court of First Instance of the High Court A Justice of Appeal may sit as an additional Judge of the Court of First Instance. A Judge of
1150-567: The High Court further delayed the trial until September 2023, until after the NPCSC ruled in the matter. Urban Services Department Urban Services Department ( Chinese : 市政總署 ) was a government department in Hong Kong . It carried out the policies and managed the facilities of the former Urban Council . After being abolished with the Urban Council in 1999, its functions were inherited by
1200-500: The High Court of Brunei Darussalam (Mr Justice Findlay and Mr Justice Lugar-Mawson). Another retired Hong Kong Judge, Edward Woolley, who previously sat as a Deputy High Court Judge and High Court Master, also sits as a Judicial Commissioner of the Supreme Court of Brunei Darussalam. Recorders of the court of first instance of the high court are practitioners in private practice (in practice, Senior Counsel ) who are appointed for
1250-479: The High Court receives a monthly salary of HK$ 340,600. Further, full-time Judges are provided with housing in Judiciary Quarters or, alternatively, a housing allowance at HK$ 163,525 per month. As of 1 April 2020, Recorders and Deputy High Court Judges receive honoraria at a daily rate of HK$ 11,765. The retirement age of full-time High Court Judges is 70. However, the term of office can be extended further up to
1300-630: The Home Affairs Branch ( Chinese : 布政司署政務科 ) of the colonial government secretariat . It was reorganized at the beginning of the Lee government in 2022 as the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau, with some of its functions transferred to the new Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau . It has its headquarters in the West Wing of the Central Government Complex in Tamar . The bureau is headed by Alice Mak ,
1350-550: The Home Affairs Bureau into the Home Affairs and Youth Bureau, stating that it would better address local needs and formulating policies aimed at young people. The proposal was implemented after the Lee government took office on 1 July 2022, with some of the old bureau's functions transferred to the new Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau. The bureau has three political appointees, with principal officials in bold: The Permanent Secretary
1400-579: The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau is not responsible for public security and law enforcement, which is instead under the remit of the Security Bureau. High Court of Hong Kong The High Court of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is a part of the legal system of Hong Kong . It consists of the Court of Appeal and the Court of First Instance ; it deals with criminal and civil cases which have risen beyond
1450-655: The Hong Kong Court of Appeal, he also sat as a non-resident Judicial Commissioner of the Supreme Court of Brunei Darussalam between 2010 and 2011. As of 2019, three retired Hong Kong High Court Judges sit as Judges of the Court of Appeal of Brunei Darussalam (Mr Justice Burrell, who is the President of the Brunei Court of Appeal, and Mr Justice Seagroatt and Mr Justice Lunn , who are Justices of Appeal); two retired Hong Kong High Court Judges sit as Judicial Commissioners of
1500-599: The Long-term Prison Sentences Review Board. At present, Mr Justice Pang Kin-kee and Mr Justice Wilson Chan are President and Deputy President respectively of the Long-term Prison Sentences Review Board. It is also a statutory requirement that the Chief Executive appoint a retired High Court Judge, District Judge or magistrate as Chairman of the Appeal Board on Public Meetings and Processions (currently Mr Justice Pang Kin-kee ). In addition, it
1550-691: The MMT and SFAT. The Chief Executive may appoint a High Court judge to lead a public inquiry. For example, Mr Justice Andrew Chan was appointed in 2015 as Chairman of the Inquiry into incidents of excess lead found in drinking water , and Mr Justice Lunn, JA was appointed in 2012 as Chairman of the Inquiry into the collision of vessels near Lamma Island . A number of serving and retired Hong Kong High Court Judges also sit as Supreme Court Judges in Brunei . For example, while Mr Justice Rogers served as Vice President of
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1600-803: The New Territories Administration merged with the Home Affairs Department to form the City and New Territories Administration (CNTA). The new department took over the functions of its antecedent agencies, except for disposal and survey of land in the New Territories which was transferred to the Lands Department, and acquired new responsibilities for the District Management Committees and District Boards . The structure of
1650-446: The Registrar and Masters, are appointed by the Chief Executive on the recommendation of the independent Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission (JORC). Part-time Deputy Judges are appointed on a temporary basis by the Chief Justice . It is not uncommon for a person to sit as a Recorder or Deputy High Court Judge prior to appointment as a full-time High Court Judge. Newly-appointed High Court judges with previous service as
1700-523: The SCA acquired the functions of protector of child labour and inspector of factories, and an Industrial sub-department was established to administer these. The SCA became responsible for the protection of ' mui tsai ' or female domestic servants in 1923 under Ordinance No 1 of 1923. Marriage registration was transferred to the Land Office in 1926. After the Second World War, the SCA was re-established on
1750-878: The SHA's liquor licensing functions were moved to the Urban Services Department , while the Narcotics Division was transferred to the Security Branch of the Colonial Secretariat . Following a reorganisation of the Colonial Secretariat as proposed by the McKinsey Report, the Secretariat for Home Affairs was retitled as the Home Affairs Department (HAD) in September 1973. The Department's primary role
1800-595: The Secretariat for Chinese Affairs (SCA), comprising the Interpretation and Emigration sub-departments. The SCA's functions included the protection of women and girls, permits, registration of books and marriages, emigration, plague hospitals, temples, cemeteries and Chinese clubs and societies. Responsibility for the supervision of student interpreters was passed to the Education Department in June 1913. On 1 January 1922
1850-545: The age of 75. The Chief Judge of the High Court is the Court Leader of the High Court and the President of the Court of Appeal. The Chief Judge is responsible for the administration of the High Court and is accountable to the Chief Justice , who is head of the Judiciary . The Chief Judge must be a Chinese citizen who is a Hong Kong permanent resident with no right of abode in any foreign country. The Judges who have held
1900-465: The bureau took over the new Leisure and Cultural Services Department , gaining even greater responsibility over leisure and cultural policy. On 1 April 2000, the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau's responsibility over sports for disabled people was transferred to the Home Affairs Bureau. On 1 July 2007, following Donald Tsang's re-election as Chief Executive , the Home Affairs Bureau's human rights portfolio
1950-515: The lower courts. It is a superior court of record of unlimited civil and criminal jurisdiction . It was named the Supreme Court before 1997 . Though previously named the Supreme Court, this Court has long been the local equivalent to the Senior Courts of England and Wales and has never been vested with the power of final adjudication. A person who has practised for at least 10 years as
2000-439: The plural as '[surname] and [surname] JJA'). Full-time Judges of the Court of First Instance are referred to as '[surname] J' (or in the plural as '[surname] and [surname] JJ'). Recorders are referred to as 'Mr/Madam/Mrs Recorder [surname]' (with the post-nominal 'SC' if they are Senior Counsel ). Deputy High Court Judges are referred to either as 'Deputy Judge [surname]', 'Deputy High Court Judge [surname]' or 'DHCJ [surname]' (with
2050-511: The position of Chief Judge of the High Court of Hong Kong to date are: For pre-1997 Chief Justices, see: Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Hong Kong Full-time High Court judges are given the prefix 'the Honourable' and referred to as 'Mr/Madam/Mrs Justice [surname]'. The Chief Judge of the High Court may be referred to in writing by adding the post-nominal 'CJHC'. Vice Presidents of the Court of Appeal may be referred to in writing by adding
Home and Youth Affairs Bureau - Misplaced Pages Continue
2100-446: The position of Deputy High Court Judge was known as Commissioner . A Deputy High Court Judge may exercise all the jurisdiction, powers and privileges of a full-time Judge of the Court of First Instance. Judicial review cases are not listed before part-time Judges. In order to ensure judicial independence and impartiality, part-time Judges are not permitted to participate actively in political activities (although membership of
2150-438: The post-nominal 'SC' if they are Senior Counsel ). Deputy High Court Judges were previously called Commissioners and were referred to as 'Mr/Madam/Mrs Commissioner [surname]' (with the post-nominal 'Q.C.' if they were Queen's Counsel ) in judgments before 1983. The High Court Building is located at 38 Queensway , Admiralty . The 20-storey building was built in 1985 as the home of the then Supreme Court of Hong Kong , which
2200-443: The post-nominal 'VP'. Justices of Appeal may be referred to in writing by adding the post-nominal "JA". In 1995, Mrs Justice Doreen Le Pichon was the first woman to be appointed as a High Court judge. She subsequently became the first woman to be appointed as a Justice of Appeal in 2000. In 2019, Madam Justice Susan Kwan was the first woman to be appointed as Vice President of the Court of Appeal. The current full-time judges of
2250-662: The recommendation of the Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission. The President of the Lands Tribunal must be a High Court Judge (currently Madam Justice Lisa Wong) and is appointed by the Chief Executive . High Court judges also serve a number of other public service roles. It is a statutory requirement that the Electoral Affairs Commission be headed by a chairman who is a High Court judge (currently Mr Justice Lok) appointed by
2300-663: Was intended to act as a more formal system of appointment compared to the more ad hoc nature of appointment of Deputy High Court Judges. The current Recorders of the Court of First Instance of the High Court (as at 1 August 2024) are (ranked according to the priority of their respective appointments): The Chief Justice appoints on a temporary basis a number of serving full-time District Court Judges, retired High Court Judges and practitioners in private practice (in general, barristers who are Senior Counsel or solicitors who are senior partners with litigation experience) to sit as part-time Deputy High Court Judges. Before 1983,
2350-471: Was maintaining communication between the Chinese population and the Government. It was organised into four Divisions (General and Traditional, Lands, Information, Television and Film), a Trust Funds Section, Chinese Language Branch, Public Relations Unit, Tenancy Enquiry Bureaux, and Offices of the City District Commissioners and District Offices for Hong Kong and Kowloon. In 1974, the Television and Film Division
2400-496: Was renamed in 1997. It was named the Supreme Court Building, and the road leading to its main entrance is still named Supreme Court Road . The High Court Building was designed by Architect K. M. Tseng. The structure is a white clad tower and has a water fountain outside its front door. Sometimes, the High Court may sit in another venue. For example, a serving District Judge sitting as a Deputy High Court Judge may hear
2450-721: Was separated to form an independent Television and Film Authority; the Tenancy Enquiry Bureaux were transferred to the Rating and Valuation Department ; and the HAD was reorganised into a Community Services Branch and a Language and Tradition Branch and the City District Offices. In 1975 its functions included city district administration, public enquiry service, lands and housing matters, Chinese language authority, Chinese customs and liaison with local organisations. On 1 December 1981
2500-601: Was transferred to the renamed Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau , and the development-related matters of the Home Affairs Bureau's responsibility over heritage conservation were transferred to the new Development Bureau . The Home Affairs Bureau gained responsibility over the promotion of social enterprises , as well as the Legal Aid Department , which was transferred from the Chief Secretary for Administration's Office. The Legal Aid Department returned to Chief Secretary's Office on 1 July 2018. In her 2021 policy address , Chief Executive Carrie Lam proposed reorganizing
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