CAP. 3]
Jury
[1988 Ed.
CHAPTER 3
JURY
To amend and consolidate the law relating to jurors.
[1 June 1887]
Originally 18 of 1887 (Cap. 3, 1950) -- 2 of 1860, 3 of 1894, 18 of 1901, 19 of 1911, 50 of 1911, 51 of 1911, 62 of 1911, 63 of 1911, 8 of 1912, 21 of 1912, 22 of 1912, 26 of 1914, 21 of 1917, 5 of 1924, 8 of 1929, 30 of 1933, 23 of 1934, 21 of 1935, 31 of 1936, 27 of 1937, 1 of 1940, 2 of 1946, 37 of 1947, 49 of 1947, 12 of 1948, 20 of 1948, 9 of 1950, 22 of 1950, 24 of 1950, 32 of 1950, 32 of 1952, 6 of 1955, 33 of 1955, 2 of 1959, 39 of 1960, 28 of 1962, 5 of 1964, 12 of 1966, 57 of 1967, 29 of 1969, 3 of 1971, 72 of 1973, 55 of 1978, 79 of 1979, 64 of 1984, 3 of 1986, 67 of 1987, 37 of 1988
Short title
1.
This Ordinance may be cited as the Jury Ordinance.
Interpretation
(Amended, 5 of 1924, s. 6)
2. In this Ordinance, unless the context otherwise requires-
"Commissioner" has the same meaning as in the Registration of Persons Ordinance (Cap. 177); (Replaced, 37 of 1988, s. 2)
"court" means the High Court;
"Registrar" means the Registrar of the Supreme Court.
Number of jurors on trial
(Added, 5 of 1924, Schedule)
3. In all civil and criminal trials and in all inquiries into the idiocy, lunacy, or unsoundness of mind of any person, the jury, if any, shall consist of 7 persons except where the court or the judge before whom any such trial or inquiry is or may be heard, orders that the jury shall consist of 9 persons.
(Amended, 37 of 1947, s. 2 and 3 of 1986, s. 2)
Qualifications and disabilities
4. Every person between the ages of 21 and 65 years, being of sound mind and not afflicted with deafness, blindness, or other such infirmity, who is a good and sufficient person resident within Hong Kong, and who has a knowledge of the English language sufficient to enable him to understand the evidence of witnesses, the address of counsel and the Judge's summing up, shall be qualified and liable to serve as a juror, subject to the exceptions hereinafter provided. Notwithstanding anything herein contained it shall be lawful for the court of its own motion or on the application of the Registrar or of any party interested to discharge any person summoned to serve as a juror who is unable to satisfy the court or Registrar that his knowledge of the English language is sufficient for the purposes aforesaid.
(Amended, 37 of 1947, s. 3; 32 of 1950, s. 2; 64 of 1984, s. 2 and 37 of 1988, s. 13)