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The following is issued on behalf of the Judiciary:
The Rules of the High Court (Amendment) (No.2) Rules 2014 (the High Court Amendment Rules) and the Rules of the District Court (Amendment) Rules 2014 (the District Court Amendment Rules) were published in the Gazette today (June 27) and will be tabled in the Legislative Council for negative vetting on July 2.
The High Court Amendment Rules and the District Court Amendment Rules seek to amend the Rules of the High Court and the Rules of the District Court so that an appeal from a judgment or order of a master of the High Court or the District Court (as the case may be) on the trial of an interpleader issue lies to the Court of Appeal.
A spokesman for the Judiciary said that the proposed amendments will make uniform the appeal mechanism after trials of interpleader issues, whether they have taken place before a judge or master, with or without the consent of parties.
At present, after a full trial of an interpleader issue before a master without the consent of the parties, the right of appeal takes the parties to a judge in chambers of the Court of First Instance or the District Court (as the case may be) instead of to the Court of Appeal, as now proposed.
The Judiciary has consulted the High Court Rules Committee, the District Court Rules Committee, the Bar Association and the Law Society. They have no comments on the proposed legislative amendments.
The Legislative Council Panel on Administration of Justice and Legal Services has been informed of the proposed legislative amendments and the Panel has not raised any comment.
The target commencement date for the High Court Amendment Rules and the District Court Amendment Rules is December 1.
Ends/Friday, June 27, 2014
Issued at HKT 12:00
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