On the civil side the time lag depends upon whether
a fixed date is asked for or whether the case is allowed to
go into the Running or Floating List. will be a time lag of 3 to 4 months. time lag will be 6 weeks to 2 months.
MAGISTRATES COURTS
If the former, there
If the latter, the
Pleas of guilty are dealt with every day.
If a case is defended and the defendant is in custody the case will be heard within the month unless quite exceptional circumstances arise, Such as sickness or the defendant brings in a lawyer at the last moment who asks for a fixed date.
If the case is a committal, the time lag will
A depend upon whether the case is straightforward or not. case has recently been committed from Causeway Bay Magistracy in which the testimony of 200 witnesses was taken. The photo stating alone amounted to 20,000 different photographs.
In the case of non custody cases and provided the defendant can be located, the case will be concluded in 70% of the Magistrates Courts within 4 weeks and in the remainder of the Magistrates Courts (and these Courts are the one-man Magistrate Courts at Fanling, Tsuen Wan and Kwun Tong) within 2 months.
CIVIL APPEALS TO THE FULL COURT.
14 civil appeals from the Supreme Court are awaiti hearing and 1 appeal from the District Court.