### District Court Ordinance 《區域法院條例》

15. Right of audience
(1) In any proceedings in the Court, any of the following persons may address the Court, namely—
(a) any party to the proceedings;
(b) a barrister qualified to practise in the High Court and retained by or on behalf of any party; (Amended 25 of 1998 s. 2)
(c) a solicitor qualified to practise in the High Court and acting generally in the proceedings for a party thereto, but not a solicitor retained as an advocate by a solicitor so acting; (Amended 25 of 1998 s. 2)
(d) any other person allowed by leave of the Court to appear instead of a party to the proceedings. (Amended 28 of 2000 s. 11)
(1A) The right of a solicitor to address the Court is not excluded by reason only of the fact that he is in the permanent and exclusive employment of any other solicitor. (Added 28 of 2000 s. 11)
(2) No person other than a solicitor shall be entitled to have or to recover any fee or reward for appearing or acting on behalf of any other party in any proceedings in the Court. (Amended 28 of 2000 s. 11)
(2A) The right of a barrister to appear or to act in the Court or of a solicitor to recover costs for the employment of a barrister to appear or to act is not affected by anything in this Ordinance. (Added 28 of 2000 s. 11)
(3) (Repealed 25 of 2008 s. 7)(Replaced 21 of 1962 s. 10)

16. Prohibition of proceedings in error
No proceedings in error shall be taken upon any proceeding under the provisions of this Ordinance.
(1 of 1953 s. 12 incorporated)

### District Court Ordinance 《區域法院條例》

17. District Court Rules Committee
(1) There is to be a District Court Rules Committee. (Replaced 17 of 2018 s. 12)
(1A)  The Rules Committee is to consist of—
(a) the Chief Judge;
(b) 3 District Judges appointed by the Chief Judge;
(c) a barrister nominated by the Hong Kong Bar Association;
(d) a solicitor nominated by The Law Society of Hong Kong;
(e) the Registrar; and
(f) the Secretary for Justice or a legal officer, as defined in section 2 of the Legal Officers Ordinance (Cap. 87), appointed by the Secretary for Justice. (Added 17 of 2018 s. 12)

(1B) The Registrar is to be the secretary of the Rules Committee. (Added 17 of 2018 s. 12)
(2) At any meeting of the Rules Committee, 4 members, one of whom is either such a barrister or such a solicitor, shall be a quorum. (Amended 17 of 2018 s. 12)
(3) The Rules Committee shall be convened by or at the direction of the Chief Judge.
(4) The Chairman of the Rules Committee shall be the Chief Judge or, in his absence, the senior District Judge present at the meeting.
(Replaced 21 of 1962 s. 11. Amended 10 of 2005 s. 10)

18. Transfer of unclaimed moneys in Court
(1) When any sum of money remains unclaimed in the Court for a period of 5 years, the Chief Justice may, on application by the Registrar of the High Court, order such sum to be transferred to the general revenue of the Government. (Amended 25 of 1998 s. 2)
(2) Before making any order under subsection (1) the Chief Justice may direct that such notice, if any, as he thinks necessary shall be given and to such parties as he may think fit.
(Added 71 of 1971 s . 3)

### District Court Ordinance 《區域法院條例》

20. Committal for contempt
If any person—
(a) wilfully insults a judge or a witness or any officer of the Court during his sitting or attendance in court, or in going to or returning from the Court; or
(b) wilfully interrupts the proceedings of the Court or commits contempt of the Court or otherwise misbehaves in court,
any officer of the Court, with or without the assistance of any other person may, by order of the judge, take the offender into custody and detain him until the rising of the Court and the judge may if he thinks fit—
(i) by a warrant under his hand commit the offender to prison for a specified period not exceeding 2 years; or (Amended 25 of 1972 s. 2)
(ii) impose upon the offender a fine for every such offence. (Amended 28 of 2000 s. 12)
(Replaced 21 of 1962 s. 12. Amended 59 of 1981 s. 4)

22. Enforcement of liability for fees
In default of the payment of any fees which have been prescribed, payment thereof shall be enforced, by order of the Court, in like manner as payment of any debt adjudged by the Court to be paid.
(Replaced 21 of 1962 s. 12)

23. Enforcement of fines and forfeited recognizances
(1) The Court may enforce a fine imposed, or a recognizance forfeited, by it in the same manner as a judgment for the payment of money.
(2) The Court shall certify to the Registrar the sum payable if a fine or recognizance is not paid in full when it is due and the Registrar shall enforce the payment of the sum certified as a judgment debt due to the Court.
(3) In this section, fine (罰款) includes a penalty imposed in civil proceedings and payable to the Court.
(Replaced 28 of 2000 s. 13)

24. Enforcement of orders and warrants for imprisonment
Whenever any order or warrant for the committal of any person to prison is made or issued by the Court or a judge, the order or warrant shall be directed to the Registrar who shall thereby be empowered to take the body of the person against whom the order is made on the warrant issued and it shall be the duty—
(a) of every police officer to assist in the execution of every such order or warrant; and
(b) of the officer in charge of the prison mentioned in any such order or warrant to receive and keep the person therein mentioned until he is lawfully discharged.
(Replaced 21 of 1962 s. 12)