### District Court Ordinance 《區域法院條例》

3. Establishment of the District Court, and its general jurisdiction
(1) A court known as the District Court is established. (Replaced 28 of 2000 s. 4)
(2) The Court shall be a court of record and shall have such civil and criminal jurisdiction and powers as are conferred upon it by this Ordinance and by any other enactment for the time being in force. (Amended 21 of 1962 s. 3)
(3) The jurisdiction and powers conferred by any other enactment for the time being in force shall be subject only to such limitations as such enactment may provide or may have provided. (Added 20 of 1963 s. 3)
(1 of 1953 s. 3 incorporated)

4. Constitution of the District Court
(1) The Court shall consist of 2 or more judges, to be known as District Judges.
(2) District Judges shall be appointed by the Chief Executive by instrument under the Public Seal. (Amended 25 of 1998 s. 2)
(3) Any appointment made under the provisions of subsection (2) may be given effect from a date anterior to that of the instrument by which it is made. (Added 18 of 1958 s. 2. Amended 20 of 1972 s. 24; 28 of 2000 s. 5)
(4) This section does not authorize the discharge of any judicial functions by any person before the date of the instrument of appointment or before the requirements of section 17 of the Oaths and Declarations Ordinance (Cap. 11) have been fulfilled. (Added 28 of 2000 s. 5)
(1 of 1953 s. 4 incorporated)

### District Court Ordinance 《區域法院條例》

6. Disposal of proceedings
(1) A judge sitting alone shall, subject to section 58 and to the rules, hear and dispose of proceedings in the Court and business arising out of the proceedings. (Replaced 28 of 2000 s. 6)
(2) The proceedings in every action or matter subsequent to the hearing or trial, down to and including the final judgment or order, and any application for leave to appeal or for a stay of execution shall, so far as is practicable and convenient, be taken before the judge or Registrar before whom the trial or hearing took place. (Replaced 21 of 1962 s. 5. Amended 28 of 2000 s. 6)
(3) The business of the Court shall be heard and disposed of in court unless this Ordinance, the rules of court or another enactment authorizes the matter to be heard and disposed of in chambers. (Replaced 28 of 2000 s. 6)
(1 of 1953 s. 6 incorporated)

7. Appointment of deputy District Judges
(1) The Chief Justice may appoint a person who is eligible under section 5 to be appointed as a District Judge to be a deputy District Judge if— (Amended 10 of 2005 s. 145)
(a) the office of any District Judge becomes vacant for any reason; or (Amended 10 of 2005 s. 145)
(b) he considers that the interests of the administration of justice require that a deputy District Judge should be appointed temporarily.
(2) A deputy District Judge shall have and may exercise all the jurisdiction, powers and privileges and perform all the duties of a District Judge. A reference in any law to a deputy District Judge shall be construed accordingly. (Amended 10 of 2005 s. 145)
(3) Without restricting the Chief Justice’s power under subsection (1), the Chief Justice may appoint a deputy District Judge—
(a) for a specified case or class of cases only;
(b) for a specified period only.
(4) The Chief Justice may terminate the appointment of a deputy District Judge at any time.
(Replaced 28 of 2000 s. 7)

8. Power of deputy District Judge in part-heard cases
A deputy District Judge may resume the hearing and determine any adjourned proceedings and to deliver judgment even if the period of his appointment as a deputy District Judge has expired or his appointment has been terminated by the Chief Justice.
(Replaced 28 of 2000 s. 7)

### District Court Ordinance 《區域法院條例》

9. Jurisdiction in part-heard cases of magistrates appointed to be judges
Where a magistrate is appointed to be a judge he may, notwithstanding such appointment, exercise and discharge all such jurisdiction, powers, authorities and duties as were prior to such appointment vested in him as a magistrate, but in relation only to any proceedings which were duly commenced before him in his capacity as a magistrate prior to such appointment.
(Added 11 of 1970 s. 3)

10. Jurisdiction in part-heard cases of judges appointed to be High Court Judges or Court of First Instance deputy judges
Where a judge is appointed—
(a) to be a judge of the High Court under section 6(1) of the High Court Ordinance (Cap. 4); or
(b) to be a deputy judge of the Court of First Instance under section 10(1) of the High Court Ordinance (Cap. 4),
he may, notwithstanding such appointment, exercise and discharge all such jurisdiction, powers, authorities and duties as were prior to such appointment vested in him as a judge of the Court, but in relation only to any proceedings which were duly commenced before him in his capacity as such judge prior to such appointment.
(Added 11 of 1970 s. 3. Amended 92 of 1975 s. 58; 49 of 1983 s. 7; 25 of 1998 s. 2)

### District Court Ordinance 《區域法院條例》

11A. Term of office of District Judges
(1) A judge must vacate his office when he attains the retirement age.
(2) Notwithstanding the fact that he has attained the retirement age, a person holding the office of a judge may continue in office for so long after attaining the retirement age as may be necessary to enable him to deliver judgment or to do any other thing in relation to proceedings that were commenced before him before he attained that age.
(2A) Subsection (3) applies to a judge—
(a) who is subject to the retirement age (extension) arrangement under section 5A of the Pension Benefits (Judicial Officers) Ordinance (Cap. 401); or
(b) who, pursuant to the Circular, has opted for the retirement age (extension) arrangement. (Added 10 of 2019 s. 6)
(3) Notwithstanding subsection (1), the term of office of a judge may be extended for a specified period or periods not exceeding 5 years in the aggregate by the Chief Executive acting in accordance with the recommendation of the Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission, and in any such case the judge is accordingly to be regarded as having attained the retirement age at the expiration of the specified period or periods. (Amended 25 of 1998 s. 2)
(4) A judge may at any time resign his office by notice in writing addressed to the Chief Executive. (Amended 25 of 1998 s. 2)
(5) In this section—
Circular (《通告》) means a Circular issued by the Chief Justice on the details of the retirement age (extension) arrangement for judicial officers engaged on terms that do not attract pension benefits under the Pension Benefits (Judicial Officers) Ordinance (Cap. 401);
judge (法官) means a District Judge;
retirement age (退休年齡) means the age of 65 years;
retirement age (extension) arrangement (退休年齡(延展)安排) means the arrangements in relation to the extension of the ages of retirement and terms of office for judicial officers as provided by the amendments contained in the Judicial Officers (Extension of Retirement Age) (Amendment) Ordinance 2019 (10 of 2019). (Replaced 10 of 2019 s. 6)
(Added 26 of 1997 s. 4. Amended 10 of 2019 s. 6)