### District Court Ordinance 《區域法院條例》

12. Distribution and disposal of business of the Court
(1) Subject to any rules made under this Ordinance, the Chief Justice may give such directions as he thinks fit touching the distribution and disposal of the business of the Court.
(2) Subject to any such rules or directions and to the provisions of subsection (3), a judge shall sit for the disposal of business pending in the Court at such places and times as he may think fit. (Amended 21 of 1962 s. 7)
(3) Any proceedings may at any time and at any stage thereof, and either with or without application from any of the parties thereto, be transferred in such manner as may be prescribed or as any such direction may authorize, from one judge to another. (Amended 21 of 1962 s. 7)
(1 of 1953 s. 8 incorporated)

13. Seal of the Court
(1) The Court shall use such seal as the Chief Justice directs.
(2) All writs, judgments, orders, documents and copies issued by the Court shall be sealed with the seal.
(3) A writ, judgment, order, document or copy purporting to be sealed with the seal of the Court is admissible in any court on its production without further proof.
(Replaced 28 of 2000 s. 8)

### District Court Ordinance 《區域法院條例》

14AA. Professional qualifications of Registrar, deputy registrars and assistant registrars
(1) A person shall be eligible to be appointed as the Registrar, a deputy registrar or an assistant registrar if—
(a) he is qualified to practise as a barrister, solicitor or advocate in a court in Hong Kong or any other common law jurisdiction having unlimited jurisdiction either in civil or criminal matters; and
(b) since becoming so qualified, he has for a period of or periods totalling not less than 5 years—
(i) practised as a barrister, solicitor or advocate in such a court;
(ii) been a permanent magistrate appointed in accordance with section 5 of the Magistrates Ordinance (Cap. 227);
(iii) been a coroner appointed in accordance with section 3 of the Coroners Ordinance (Cap. 504);
(iv) been an adjudicator appointed in accordance with section 4 of the Small Claims Tribunal Ordinance (Cap. 338);
(v) been a presiding officer appointed in accordance with section 4 of the Labour Tribunal Ordinance (Cap. 25);
(vi) been a legal officer as defined in section 2 of the Legal Officers Ordinance (Cap. 87);
(vii) been the Director of Legal Aid or a Deputy Director of Legal Aid, Assistant Director of Legal Aid or Legal Aid Officer, appointed in accordance with section 3 of the Legal Aid Ordinance (Cap. 91);
(viii) been the Official Receiver or an Assistant Official Receiver (Legal), Assistant Principal Solicitor, Senior Solicitor or Solicitor, appointed in accordance with section 75 of the Bankruptcy Ordinance (Cap. 6); or
(ix) been the Director of Intellectual Property or a Deputy Director of Intellectual Property, Assistant Director of Intellectual Property, Assistant Principal Solicitor, Senior Solicitor or Solicitor, appointed in accordance with section 3 of the Director of Intellectual Property (Establishment) Ordinance (Cap. 412). (Amended 26 of 2012 s. 41)
(2) For the purposes of calculating the period of 5 years referred to in subsection (1)(b)—
(a) periods of less than 5 years falling within any of the subparagraphs of that subsection may be combined;
(b) periods served in an office specified in Part I of the First Schedule to the repealed Registrar General (Establishment) Ordinance (Cap. 100) may be taken into account notwithstanding the repeal of that Ordinance.
(Added 10 of 2005 s. 147)

### District Court Ordinance 《區域法院條例》

14AB. Appointment of temporary registrar
(1) The Chief Justice may appoint a person who is eligible under section 14AA to be appointed as the Registrar to be a temporary registrar if—
(a) the office of the Registrar becomes vacant for any reason; or
(b) he considers that the interest of the administration of justice requires that a temporary registrar should be appointed.
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of the power conferred on him by subsection (1), the Chief Justice may appoint a temporary registrar for a specified period only.
(2A) A temporary registrar has, during the period for which he or she is appointed, all the jurisdiction, privileges, powers and duties of the Registrar and a reference in any law to the Registrar is to be construed accordingly. (Added 17 of 2018 s. 10)
(3) The Chief Justice may terminate the appointment of a temporary registrar at any time.
(4) In this section and section 14C, temporary registrar (暫委司法常務官) means a person appointed under subsection (1) to be a temporary registrar.
(Added 10 of 2005 s. 147)

14A. Appointment of temporary deputy registrars
(1) The Chief Justice may appoint a person who is eligible under section 14AA to be appointed as a deputy registrar to be a temporary deputy registrar if— (Amended 10 of 2005 s. 148)
(a) the office of any deputy registrar becomes vacant for any reason; or
(b) he considers that the interest of the administration of justice requires that a temporary deputy registrar should be appointed.
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of the power conferred on him by subsection (1), the Chief Justice may appoint a temporary deputy registrar for a specified period only.
(3) A temporary deputy registrar shall, during the period for which he is appointed, have all the jurisdiction, powers and privileges, and discharge all the duties of a deputy registrar and any reference in any law to a deputy registrar shall be construed accordingly.
(4) The Chief Justice may terminate the appointment of a temporary deputy registrar at any time.
(5) A temporary deputy registrar may be called Master.
(6) In this section and section 14C, temporary deputy registrar (暫委副司法常務官) means a person appointed under subsection (1) to be a temporary deputy registrar.
(Added 28 of 2000 s. 10)

### District Court Ordinance 《區域法院條例》

14B. Appointment of temporary assistant registrars
(1) The Chief Justice may appoint a person who is eligible under section 14AA to be appointed as an assistant registrar to be a temporary assistant registrar if— (Amended 10 of 2005 s. 149)
(a) the office of any assistant registrar becomes vacant for any reason; or
(b) he considers that the interest of the administration of justice requires that a temporary assistant registrar should be appointed.
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of the power conferred on him by subsection (1), the Chief Justice may appoint a temporary assistant registrar for a specified period only.
(3) A temporary assistant registrar shall, during the period for which he is appointed, have all the jurisdiction, powers and privileges, and discharge all the duties of an assistant registrar and any reference in any law to an assistant registrar shall be construed accordingly.
(4) The Chief Justice may terminate the appointment of a temporary assistant registrar at any time.
(5) A temporary assistant registrar may be called Master.
(6) In this section and section 14C, temporary assistant registrar (暫委助理司法常務官) means a person appointed under subsection (1) to be a temporary assistant registrar.
(Added 28 of 2000 s. 10)

14C. Powers of temporary registrars, etc. in case which is part-heard on termination of appointment
(1) If the hearing of any proceedings before a temporary registrar is adjourned or if he reserves judgment in any proceedings, the temporary registrar shall have power to resume the hearing and determine the proceedings or deliver judgment, notwithstanding that his appointment as a temporary registrar has expired or has been terminated.
(2) Subsection (1) shall apply to a temporary deputy registrar or temporary assistant registrar as it applies to a temporary registrar.
(Added 28 of 2000 s. 10. Amended 10 of 2005 s. 150)