### Marriage Ordinance 《婚姻條例》

5E. Suspension of appointment
(1) If a civil celebrant contravenes a code of practice, the Registrar may, by giving the person a written notice, suspend the appointment of the civil celebrant for such period as the Registrar may specify in the notice.
(2) Subsection (1) is without prejudice to section 5D(1)(c).
(3) If the Registrar intends to suspend the appointment of a person under subsection (1), the Registrar shall give the person a written notice of—
(a) the intention;
(b) the reason for the proposed suspension; and
(c) the length of the proposed suspension period.
(4) If the Registrar gives a notice to a person under subsection (3), the person may, within 14 days after the date of the notice or such longer period as the Registrar may allow, make representation to the Registrar in the manner specified in the notice.
(5) The Registrar shall not suspend the appointment of a person until—
(a) the 14-day period or longer period (if any) referred to in subsection (4) has expired and the person has not made any representation; or
(b) the person has made representation and the Registrar has considered the representation.
(6) A period specified under subsection (1)—
(a) may be longer or shorter than the proposed suspension period referred to in subsection (3)(c); and
(b) shall not be longer than 18 months.
(7) If—
(a) a person—
(i) is appointed as a civil celebrant by virtue of meeting the criterion prescribed in paragraph 1(a) of Schedule 4; and
(ii) is subsequently suspended from practice as a solicitor for any period by a Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal under section 10 of the Legal Practitioners Ordinance (Cap. 159); or
(b) a person—
(i) is appointed as a civil celebrant by virtue of meeting the criterion prescribed in paragraph 1(b) of Schedule 4; and
(ii) is subsequently suspended from practice as a notary public for any period by a Notaries Public Disciplinary Tribunal under section 40J of the Legal Practitioners Ordinance (Cap. 159),
his appointment as a civil celebrant shall be suspended during that period.
(8) An appointment suspended under this section shall not, during the suspension period, be regarded as valid for the purposes of the definition of civil celebrant in section 2.
(9) If the appointment of a civil celebrant is suspended, the Registrar shall publish the suspension by notice in the Gazette.
(10) If an appointment is suspended, no fee paid in accordance with section 5B(1)(e) in respect of the appointment or the renewal of it shall be refunded.

### Marriage Ordinance 《婚姻條例》

5F. Marriage not affected by defect in civil celebrant’s appointment
Without prejudice to the generality of section 27(3), the validity of a marriage celebrated by a civil celebrant shall not be affected by—
(a) any irregularity in the appointment of the civil celebrant by the Registrar;
(b) the fact that the civil celebrant was not—
(i) eligible for appointment at the time of his appointment; or
(ii) eligible for having his appointment renewed at the time of renewal of his appointment,
as may be appropriate; or
(c) the fact that the appointment of the civil celebrant was, at the time of the celebration, liable to be cancelled or suspended.

5G. Return documents to Registrar in case of cancellation or suspension
(1) A civil celebrant whose appointment is cancelled under section 5D(1) or suspended under section 5E shall deliver—
(a) the notice of appointment or renewal of appointment given to him by the Registrar;
(b) all notices of intended marriage supplied to him under section 8 (including those which have been cancelled); and
(c) all marriage certificates supplied to him under section 20A that have not been issued (including those which have been cancelled),
to the Registrar within 14 days after such cancellation or suspension.
(2) Where—
(a) the appointment of a civil celebrant is suspended for a period; and
(b) the civil celebrant delivers any notice of appointment or renewal of appointment to the Registrar in accordance with subsection (1)(a),
the Registrar shall return such notice to the civil celebrant as soon as practicable after the expiry of that period.

5H. Civil celebrant shall provide information
(1) For the purpose of investigating and obtaining evidence of any suspected offence under this Ordinance or of any suspected contravention of a code of practice, the Registrar may request a civil celebrant to provide information in relation to the practice of the civil celebrant. The civil celebrant shall provide such information as soon as practicable upon receiving the request of the Registrar.
(2) If a civil celebrant ceases to meet any criterion prescribed in Schedule 4 as in force—
(a) at the time of his appointment; or
(b) at the time of the latest renewal of his appointment,
as may be appropriate, he shall, within 14 days of such cessation, notify the Registrar in writing of such cessation.

5I. Manner of giving notice
A written notice that may be given or is required to be given under this Part to a person shall be sent by post to the person’s last address known to the Registrar.

### Marriage Ordinance 《婚姻條例》

5J. Civil Celebrant of Marriages Appointment Appeal Board
(1) There shall be a Civil Celebrant of Marriages Appointment Appeal Board.
(2) The Appeal Board comprises—
(a) a Chairperson;
(b) such number of Deputy Chairpersons as the Secretary considers necessary; and
(c) such number of members as the Secretary considers necessary.
(3) The Chairperson, Deputy Chairpersons and members of the Appeal Board shall be appointed by the Secretary for a term specified in the instrument of appointment.
(4) A public officer shall not be appointed under subsection (3).
(5) The Secretary shall give notice of all appointments made under subsection (3) in the Gazette.
(6) The function of the Appeal Board is to hear and determine appeals lodged under section 5K.
(7) The Chairperson, Deputy Chairpersons and members of the Appeal Board shall be paid such remuneration as the Secretary may determine.

5K. Registrar’s decisions subject to appeal
(1) An applicant who is aggrieved by the refusal of his application under section 5B(3) may appeal to the Appeal Board against the decision of the Registrar.
(2) A civil celebrant who is aggrieved by the cancellation of his appointment under section 5D(1) (except by virtue of section 5D(7)) may appeal to the Appeal Board against the decision of the Registrar.
(3) A person who is aggrieved by a notice given to him under section 5D(9) may appeal to the Appeal Board against the decision of the Registrar.
(4) A civil celebrant who is aggrieved by a suspension of his appointment under section 5E(1) may appeal to the Appeal Board against the decision of the Registrar.
(5) An appeal under subsection (2), (3) or (4) does not suspend the decision of the Registrar appealed against.