Magistrates' court (Hong Kong)
| Magistrates' courts | |
|---|---|
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 circumstance |
| 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 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.