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The Legal System

The Civil Division, headed by the Law Officer (Civil Law), provides legal advice to the government on civil law, drafts commercial contracts and franchises and conducts civil litigation, arbitration and mediation on behalf of the government. The division also promotes wider use of mediation to resolve disputes.

The International Law Division, headed by the Law Officer (International Law), advises the government on issues relating to public international law. Its lawyers take part in the negotiation of agreements and arrangements with other jurisdictions in areas such as air services, avoidance of double taxation, international trade and investment promotion and protection. The division also handles requests for legal cooperation between the HKSAR and other jurisdictions.

The Law Draftsman heads the Law Drafting Division, which drafts, in Chinese and English, all legislation proposed by the government and provides professional support to policy bureaus throughout the legislative process. It also compiles the Laws of Hong Kong and maintains a legislation database which is available on the internet. The division is now developing a new legislation database with legal status.

The Solicitor General heads the Legal Policy Division, which includes the Law Reform Commission Secretariat. The division's policy responsibility covers certain matters affecting the administration of justice and those concerning the legal and arbitration professions. In addition, it provides legal policy input on a wide range of legislative proposals and administrative measures considered by the government, which also receives legal advice on issues touching on constitutional law from the Basic Law and human rights perspectives, as well as on electoral laws and Mainland law.

By virtue of the Basic Law, the department controls all criminal prosecutions, free from interference. The Director of Public Prosecutions heads the Prosecutions Division. The division's counsel conduct most criminal appeals, including those to the Court of Final Appeal, and most trials in the Court of First Instance and the District Court. They also prosecute in the Magistrates' Courts. The division also provides legal advice on criminal law to law enforcement agencies and other government departments.

The Judiciary

A key element in the success and continuing attraction of the HKSAR is that its judicial system operates on the principle, fundamental to the common law system, of the independence of the judiciary from the executive and legislative branches of government. The courts make their own judgments, whether disputes before them involve private citizens, corporate bodies or the government itself. The government is advised on matters relating to pay and conditions of service of judicial officers by an independent Standing Committee on Judicial Salaries and Conditions of Service. The Chief Justice is the head of the Judiciary, assisted in its overall administration by the Judiciary Administrator.

The Court of Final Appeal, headed by the Chief Justice, is the HKSAR's highest appellate court. There are three permanent judges, three non-permanent Hong Kong judges and 10 non-

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