kakase/hk_gov_press_release huggingface dataset:
DoJ and Chinese Institute of Hong Kong sign co-operation framework arrangement (with photos)
11.5.2022

The Secretary for Justice, Ms Teresa Cheng, SC, signed a framework arrangement for collaboration with the representative of the Chinese Institute of Hong Kong, Executive Vice President Professor Huang Ping, being authorised by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), today (May 11) on exchanges and co-operation in rule of law research to continue to foster the building of Hong Kong's Rule of Law Database, which was officially launched in November 2021. Under the arrangement, both sides will strive to strengthen, encourage and promote exchanges and co-operation in the area of rule of law research. The Chinese Institute of Hong Kong will also conduct dedicated studies on issues related to the rule of law and the building of a rule of law database with objective data. Under the co-ordination of the Department of Justice (DoJ) and the Chinese Institute of Hong Kong, the CASS may collaborate with relevant experts in areas such as academic research. Ms Cheng said, "The CASS is a prestigious Mainland academic institution focusing on the study of social sciences. As a branch of the CASS, the Chinese Institute of Hong Kong was established in 2017 to pool together academic and social resources in Hong Kong and the Mainland to initiate various types of research in social sciences. The signing of the framework arrangement for collaboration will be conducive to understanding the practice of rule of law based on analysis of objective data." Hong Kong's Rule of Law Database is one of the important projects under the DoJ's Vision 2030 for Rule of Law initiative, collecting and collating relevant objective data and research relating to the practice of rule of law. Ends/Wednesday, May 11, 2022 Issued at HKT 17:30 NNNN
Department of Justice alerts public to fraudulent email
10.5.2022

The Department of Justice today (May 10) reminded the public of a fraudulent email purporting to be sent from the Law Reform Commission with an email account "tommy.lee@doj.gov.hk". The email, containing a suspected link to a malicious file, falsely claims to be issued by order of the Secretary for Justice. A report has been reported to the police. Members of the public are strongly advised to stay vigilant. Anyone who has provided his or her personal information to the email sender or clicked the link in the email is advised to contact the Police. Ends/Tuesday, May 10, 2022 Issued at HKT 14:14 NNNN
Second GBA Legal Professional Examination to be held on June 11
9.5.2022

The Department of Justice (DoJ) welcomed the notice issued today (May 9) by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) on the 2022 GBA Legal Professional Examination (2022 GBA Examination). The 2022 GBA Examination will be held on June 11 in Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Zhuhai. For more details, please visit: www.moj.gov.cn/pub/sfbgw/zwxxgk/fdzdgknr/fdzdgknrtzwj/202205/t20220509_454619.html (in Chinese only). Legal practitioners who have previously enrolled in the 2022 GBA Examination and completed the pre-examination legal training should select an examination location and pay the relevant examination fees as early as possible through the website of the MoJ between May 20 and 24. Candidates should adopt protective measures against the pandemic and observe personal hygiene, and are required to perform the COVID-19 rapid antigen test and complete the "Candidates' Declaration on Health" on the examination day. Vaccine Pass arrangement will be implemented at the Hong Kong examination venues in accordance with the relevant law. In light of the development of the pandemic, MoJ may make corresponding adjustment to the relevant examination work. Candidates are reminded to keep in view of any further notice to be issued by the MoJ. The Secretary for Justice, Ms Teresa Cheng, SC, remarked, "Allowing our practitioners to provide legal services in the nine Mainland municipalities in the GBA on specified civil and commercial legal matters to which the Mainland laws apply through the GBA examination is vital to opening up the legal market and merging with developments of the motherland. The dual qualification of Hong Kong legal practitioners will put ourselves in a most advantageous position to serve the businesses in the GBA. We are truly grateful to the Central People's Government and the MoJ for their staunch support." In June last year, the MoJ and the DoJ signed a memorandum of understanding on the relevant work relating to the GBA Legal Professional Examination to be held in Hong Kong. The DoJ will continue to coordinate with the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority in handling examination-related work. Ends/Monday, May 9, 2022 Issued at HKT 21:20 NNNN
Department of Justice alerts public to fraudulent email
9.5.2022

The Department of Justice (DoJ) today (May 9) called on the public to stay vigilant to a fraudulent email reportedly to be sent from the Law Reform Commission with an email account "tommy.lee@doj.gov.hk". The email, containing a suspected link to a malicious file, falsely claims to be issued by order of the Secretary for Justice. The DoJ will report the case to the Police. Anyone who has provided his or her personal information to the email sender or clicked the link in the email is advised to contact the Police. Ends/Monday, May 9, 2022 Issued at HKT 17:30 NNNN
"Key to the Future" Short Video Competition promotes rule of law (with photos)
7.5.2022

The "Key to the Future" Short Video Competition Award Presentation Ceremony organised by the Department of Justice (DoJ) was successfully held today (May 7). It is the first short video competition designated for secondary students in the "Rule of Law Enlightenment" Programme under the DoJ's "Vision 2030 for Rule of Law" initiative. Addressing the award presentation ceremony for the competition, the Secretary for Justice, Ms Teresa Cheng, SC, said that, "Through the competition, we hope that students would be enlightened to share their thoughts on the meaning of the rule of law from different perspectives, with a view to strengthening the proper understanding and practice of the rule of law." Renowned director Dante Lam, one of the judges of the competition, presented prizes to the winners at the ceremony as a special guest and shared his filmmaking experience with the participants. Other prize presenters included the Secretary for Education, Mr Kevin Yeung; the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung; the Commissioner of Police, Mr Raymond Siu; and the President of the Hong Kong Association of Youth Development, Ms Lisa Lau. The competition received an encouraging response of 70 video entries. Most video entries focused on the law-abiding spirit, showing that the students are aware of the utmost importance of lawabiding for the rule of law in a society. Through making a three-minute short video, participants demonstrated their creativity to promote the rule of law and shared their thoughts on the future development of the rule of law. The "Rule of Law Enlightenment" Programme was launched in August last year to nurture and enhance the rule of law awareness among the youth. School talks and "Rule of Law Journey" have been arranged to share with schools topics including the understanding of the rule of law, the Constitution and the Basic Law, as well as the basic concepts of national security. The "Key to the Future" Short Video Competition is one of the highlights in this school term under the Programme. The DoJ will continue to roll out different activities for schools and students to put into practice the department’s motto "Rule of Law and Justice for All". The award presentation today was held in hybrid mode. Please visit the dedicated webpage of the " Key to the Future " for the list of winners. Ends/Saturday, May 7, 2022 Issued at HKT 12:47 NNNN
Successful completion of Mediation Conference 2022 and Mediation Week 2022 (with photos)
6.5.2022

Co-organised by the Department of Justice (DoJ) and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, the Mediation Conference 2022 (Conference), being the highlight and finale event of Mediation Week 2022 and a celebration event of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, was successfully held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre today (May 6). The full-day Conference attracted more than 1 200 online participants from 19 jurisdictions around the globe. The Conference commenced with welcoming remarks by the Secretary for Justice, Ms Teresa Cheng, SC, noting the importance of cultivating roots for Chinese culture, showcased by mediation for young people and that the recent developments and accomplishments in Hong Kong's legal and dispute resolution sector have played a crucial role in the way forward with the development of mediation in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area (GBA). The keynote speaker, Professor Liu Jingdong of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, shared his insights on the effects of the signing of the United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation by the Mainland, and his anticipation for the implementation of reciprocal recognition and enforcement of mediated settlement agreements in the GBA. Speakers from Panel 1 discussed the impact of the new Mainland Judgments in Matrimonial and Family Cases (Reciprocal Recognition and Enforcement) Ordinance (Cap. 639) on mediation, and the prospects of implementing reciprocal recognition and enforcement of mediated settlement agreements in family and matrimonial disputes in the GBA. Panel 2 speakers shared their experience in how mediation was well suited for tackling various kinds of disputes during the COVID-19 epidemic, ranging from high-value investor-state disputes to lower-value local cases under dedicated mediation schemes. In the afternoon session, Panel 3 speakers attempted to pierce the veil of the metaverse by exploring the possible legal issues and pitfalls brought by the sphere of digital novelties, how disputes may arise in the trade of new markets such as NFT (non-fungible tokens) art and cryptocurrency, and the role of mediation in this realm of uncertainty. During the closing remarks, the Law Officer (Civil Law) of the DoJ, Ms Christina Cheung, announced the launch of the fourth edition of "The Judge Over Your Shoulder - A Guide to Judicial Review for Administrators", available to the public on the DoJ's website. Ms Cheung also expressed that the support and contribution received throughout Mediation Week 2022 and today's Conference is a great vote of confidence to continue to promote and develop mediation. For more detailed information on the Mediation Conference 2022 and Mediation Week 2022, please visit the designated event website . For more information on mediation, please visit the designated Facebook page , LinkedIn and Weibo . Ends/Friday, May 6, 2022 Issued at HKT 17:58 NNNN
DoJ publishes latest edition of guide to judicial review proceedings: "The Judge Over Your Shoulder"
6.5.2022

A spokesman for the Department of Justice (DoJ) today (May 6) announced the publication of the latest edition of "The Judge Over Your Shoulder - A Guide to Judicial Review for Administrators" (JOYS) at the DoJ's website ( www.doj.gov.hk/eng/public/The_Judge_Over_Your_Shoulder.html ). "The fourth edition of JOYS is released today. This latest edition considers a number of major developments in the law of judicial review since the publication of the last edition in 2019. It is hoped that the publication will continue to facilitate a better understanding of the principles relating to good governance and administration," the spokesman said. "The latest edition of JOYS is now available on the DoJ's website in English and Chinese versions. The legal sector and those who wish to understand more about judicial review, which is an integral part of the Hong Kong legal system, may wish to make reference to it," the spokesman continued. Ends/Friday, May 6, 2022 Issued at HKT 11:30 NNNN
Integrated Mediation Office (West Kowloon) of Judiciary to be launched
5.5.2022

The event titled The Launch of the Integrated Mediation Office (West Kowloon) of the Judiciary, co-organised by the Department of Justice (DoJ) and the Judiciary, was successfully held today (May 5). This event is one of the thematic events of Mediation Week 2022. The Small Claims Mediation Pilot Scheme commenced operation in the West Kowloon Mediation Centre (WKMC) in November 2018 and has been supervised by the WKMC Supervisory Committee established under the Steering Committee on Mediation chaired by the Secretary for Justice. Since then, suitable cases have been referred by small claims adjudicators to the WKMC to facilitate parties' consideration on the use of mediation to resolve their disputes. The Pilot Scheme was a great success with around 50 per cent of cases settled after mediation. The Pilot Scheme will end on June 30, 2022. The Judiciary will take over the premises from early July 2022 to facilitate the greater use of mediation services for dispute settlement instead of resorting to litigation in court. The new centre will be named as Integrated Mediation Office (West Kowloon) (IMO (WK)). This will be an extension of the Judiciary's existing office at the Wanchai Law Court Building for promoting and facilitating mediation services for various levels of court. Adjudicators of the Small Claims Tribunal will continue to identify suitable cases for mediation and such cases can be referred to IMO (WK) for mediation services. Speaking at the opening remarks of the event, Permanent Judge of the Court of Final Appeal, Mr Justice Johnson Lam, said, "We believe that mediation can resolve disputes more effectively than litigation in suitable cases. The parties take an adversarial approach in litigation, whereas mediation focuses on facilitating the parties to reach agreement, which may sometimes bring about a more satisfactory solution to the disputes." The event was then followed by insightful sharing sessions on small claims mediation by Acting Principal Adjudicator of the Small Claims Tribunal, Mr Lawrence Yip, and Adjudicator of the Small Claims Tribunal, Mr Bryan Lung. The event was well received by the audience. It is hoped that this event will give the public and the legal and mediation sectors a better understanding of the services and operation of the new IMO (WK), and that parties to Small Claims Tribunal cases will be more willing to attempt mediation in future. For more information about this event and other events of Mediation Week 2022, please visit the dedicated website . Ends/Thursday, May 5, 2022 Issued at HKT 19:03 NNNN
Medical mediation seminar successfully held (with photos)
4.5.2022

Co-organised by the Department of Justice and the Hospital Authority, the medical mediation seminar entitled "Healing beyond the body and mind: Use of mediation in medical disputes" has come to fruition today (May 4). The seminar is the third thematic event held during the Mediation Week 2022, attracting over 500 participants who attended virtually. The seminar commenced with the welcoming remarks by the Chief Executive of Hospital Authority, Dr Tony Ko, who explained that the Hospital Authority, as a "people-first" organisation, encourages their staff to use mediation and mediation skills to facilitate communication and build trust with patients in order to achieve early resolution of disputes in a medical setting. During the seminar, distinguished guest speakers Mr David Kan, Professor Albert Lee, Dr Danny Lee and Ms Fion Lee shared their views from legal and dispute resolution, regulatory, patient relations and hospital administration angles, on the use of mediation in resolving medical disputes arising in public and private hospital settings, with the aid of a short dramatisation of a medical dispute based on a real-life medical case, and demonstrations of mediation sessions. The individual presentations were followed by an armchair discussion hosted by the moderator, Dr Peter Pang. The vibrant discussions included the benefits and challenges in the use of mediation to resolve medical disputes, the takeaways from the hospital in-house complaints-handling mechanism, and salient matters that require more attention for mediation to be more widely adopted in a medical setting. The prospect of introducing mediation into the disciplinary procedures of the Medical Council of Hong Kong was also explored with reference to the Singapore model. For more information on the seminar and the Mediation Week 2022, please visit the dedicated event website . Ends/Wednesday, May 4, 2022 Issued at HKT 16:16 NNNN
Seminar on Family Mediation 2022 held today (with photos)
3.5.2022

The Seminar on Family Mediation 2022 jointly organised by the Department of Justice and the Hong Kong Family Welfare Society was held today (May 3) to promote the wider use of mediation in resolving family disputes. In the Seminar, Principal Family Court Judge, His Honour Judge C K Chan, discussed the new Mainland Judgments in Matrimonial and Family Cases (Reciprocal Recognition and Enforcement) Ordinance (Cap. 639) from the Judiciary's perspective, noting the importance of bilateral recognition and enforcement of judgments in view of the large number of cross-boundary marriages and related issues. It was then followed by a sharing session by Hong Kong legal practitioners and mediators, Mr Vod Chan and Ms Stephanie Cheung, in which they shared their views on various issues in family mediation, and highlighted some of the salient matters which required more attention in the drafting of mediated settlement agreements in family settings. In particular, they shared how children issues such as child access, and financial issues such as spousal maintenance and third parties' interests, are to be addressed when drafting a mediated settlement agreement, with illustration by real cases. The Seminar was well received by over 400 participants from different sectors, including social workers and legal practitioners, in Hong Kong and the Mainland. For more information of the Seminar, please visit the dedicated homepage . Ends/Tuesday, May 3, 2022 Issued at HKT 20:02 NNNN
Five-day Mediation Week 2022 launched today (with photos)
2.5.2022

The Mediation Week 2022 organised by the Department of Justice (DoJ) was officially launched today (May 2). The five-day programme features a series of thematic events and the Mediation Conference 2022 to promote the use of mediation. To kick off the Mediation Week, the School Mediation Seminar cum 5th Hong Kong Secondary School Peer Mediation Competition Final was held this morning. The Secretary for Justice, Ms Teresa Cheng, SC, remarked that the DoJ spares no effort in promoting the use of mediation as an amicable means to resolve disputes in various sectors. It is ideally to nurture the culture of mediation amongst students who will appreciate the importance and the usefulness of mediation skills in resolving conflicts amicably. This is vital to maintain their personal relationships and ultimately contribute to the building of a harmonious community. The theme of the School Mediation Seminar was "Peer Mediation - a Must-have Tool for Schools". This Seminar first featured the 5th Hong Kong Secondary School Peer Mediation Competition Final, in which students became young aspiring mediators and displayed their peer mediation skills under spotlight. True Light Girls’ College became the champion of the competition. In the armchair discussion in the second session of the Seminar, speakers with extensive experience in peer mediation explored the common disputes among students that were suitable for mediation and how peer mediation could be used to prevent escalation of school disputes from the perspectives of mediator, lawyer, teacher and social worker. Speakers also agreed that cultivating the mediation culture could reduce conflicts and promote the building of a harmonious and empathetic community. The Seminar was well-received by students and the education sector. It was hoped that through the Seminar, students, parents, teachers and other education workers could all gain an in-depth understanding of mediation and the values behind it, thereby promoting schools to develop the mediation culture, resolving conflicts with a positive and constructive mindset. Today's event was co-organised by the Department of Justice, the Education Bureau, Rotary International District 3450 and the Joint Mediation Helpline Office. For more information and details, please visit the dedicated homepage . Ends/Monday, May 2, 2022 Issued at HKT 14:05 NNNN
GBA Judicial Case Seminar to advance building of rule of law in GBA (with photos)
23.4.2022

The Department of Justice (DoJ) together with the High People's Court of Guangdong Province, the Judiciary and the Macao Court of Final Appeal jointly organised the 2nd Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) Judicial Case Seminar today (April 23), with a view to enhancing judicial exchanges amongst the three places and contributing to the building of a law-based business environment in the GBA. The Secretary for Justice, Ms Teresa Cheng, SC, said in her opening remarks that the GBA is one of the most open and economically vibrant regions in China. While maintaining the unique advantages of "one country, two systems and three jurisdictions" in the GBA, Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao need to continuously explore through legal and judicial co-operation the further removal of regional conflicts of laws. In 2019, the High People's Court of Guangdong Province and the DoJ signed a framework arrangement on exchange and mutual learning in legal aspects in the GBA to facilitate the courts in Guangdong and the legal sector in Hong Kong to launch projects on legal aspects for mutual exchanges and collaboration and to jointly build and enhance the judicial services and safeguards in the GBA. In July last year, the Supreme People's Court and the DoJ also signed a record of meeting on further enhancement of exchanges and co-operation which supports the better integration of Hong Kong into the country's overall development. Both parties agreed to study ways to improve the legal regulatory interface and connectivity within the GBA. The seminar brought together judges, lawyers and scholars from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao to share their insights. Mock trials were conducted according to the different modes of trial in the three places but based on the same set of case facts. Through discussions and exchanges, participants gained a better understanding of the similarities and differences amongst the three places in relation to the resolution of cross-boundary commercial disputes. This is beneficial to the three places in jointly resolving practical legal issues which arise in the course of the development of the GBA and in facilitating the building of the rule of law in the GBA. The seminar today was held in hybrid mode with venues set up in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao respectively. In addition to mock trials, it also comprised thematic sessions on various topics. Ends/Saturday, April 23, 2022 Issued at HKT 18:00 NNNN
Public services of Department of Justice to resume as normal from April 11
8.4.2022

The Department of Justice announced today (April 8) that the public services provided by the department will resume as normal from April 11. The opening hours of the reception counter and the shroff office of the Civil Division are as follows: * Reception Counter Civil Division - 6/F, East Wing, Justice Place, 18 Lower Albert Road, Central Monday to Friday: 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 6pm * Shroff Office Civil Division - 8/F, West Wing, Justice Place, 18 Lower Albert Road, Central Monday to Friday: 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 4.30pm The opening hours of the Prosecutions Division's reception counter remain as usual (Monday to Friday: 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 6pm). Ends/Friday, April 8, 2022 Issued at HKT 11:00 NNNN