Integrated Mediation Office (West Kowloon) of Judiciary to commence operation (with photo)

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The following is issued on behalf of the Judiciary:

     The Integrated Mediation Office (West Kowloon) (IMO(WK)) of the Judiciary will commence operation tomorrow (July 5).

     The IMO(WK) is an extension of the Judiciary's existing Integrated Mediation Office located in the Wanchai Law Courts Building. It is established to facilitate the greater use of mediation services (instead of resorting to litigation) for dispute settlement primarily for cases in the Small Claims Tribunal (SCT).

     Mediation is an alternative dispute resolution process for parties to resolve their differences in a more efficient, cost-effective and amicable manner. The Judiciary has been promoting and facilitating the use of mediation for civil cases through its Integrated Mediation Office for various levels of court, particularly the High Court, the District Court, the Family Court and the Lands Tribunal.

     The IMO(WK) aims at assisting members of the public to understand more about mediation and helping parties of SCT cases to resolve their disputes through mediation. Adjudicators of the SCT will identify suitable cases for referral to the IMO(WK) for mediation services. Free mediation sessions would then be arranged for parties who agree to mediate.

     Litigants of civil cases for other levels of court may also approach the IMO(WK) for information on mediation as well as other means to seek mediation services from professional bodies or private practitioners outside the Judiciary.

     The IMO(WK) is located at 2 Ying Wa Street, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon, which is next to the West Kowloon Law Courts Building. It is open from 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 6pm, Monday to Friday (except public holidays). Free services and facilities to be provided by the IMO(WK) include:

general enquiries on court-related mediation;
video and information sessions on court-related mediation;
pre-mediation consultations;
arranging mediation services provided by accredited mediators outside the Judiciary; and
a resource corner.

Since November 2018, the SCT had been referring suitable cases to the West Kowloon Mediation Centre on the same site as the IMO(WK), under a pilot scheme supervised by the Department of Justice, to facilitate parties' consideration of using mediation to resolve their disputes. The pilot scheme ended on June 30, 2022. The Judiciary has just taken over the premises from early July 2022 to continue facilitating the greater use of mediation through establishing the IMO(WK).

For more information about mediation and the IMO(WK), please visit the website at mediation.judiciary.hk or refer to the booklet "The Integrated Mediation Office (West Kowloon)". For enquiries, please call 2388 3070 or email mediation@judiciary.hk.

Ends/Monday, July 4, 2022
Issued at HKT 14:30

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The Integrated Mediation Office (West Kowloon) of the Judiciary will commence operation tomorrow (July 5) to facilitate the greater use of mediation services for dispute settlement primarily for cases in the Small Claims Tribunal.