Latest by Carmel Green
Hong Kong Courts – Further guidance on remote court hearings
A second, more comprehensive guidance note on remote hearings in civil proceedings came into effect on 15 June 2020. The phase 2 guidance note provides for expanded videoconferencing facilities and telephone hearings with respect to the civil business of the first instance courts and the Court of Appeal, and is to be read together with the phase 1 guidance note issued on 2 April 2020.
Read moreHong Kong Courts – Expansion of use of remote hearings
As expected, the judiciary in Hong Kong has announced that it will expand the use of remote hearings for civil cases. The first Guidance Note for Remote Hearings for Civil Business in the High Court (Phase 1) came into effect on 3 April 2020. This was during the general adjourned period (GAP), when the courts were generally closed as a result of COVID-19, save for urgent and essential court business. The GAP came to an end on 3 May 2020.
Read moreHong Kong Courts – Closing the GAP
The general adjourned period (GAP), during which the courts in Hong Kong were closed save for urgent and essential court business, started on 29 January 2020 with the early onset of COVID-19 in Hong Kong.
Read moreGeneral adjournment in Hong Kong does not extend duration of ex parte injunction
In Hong Kong, the courts have generally been closed, save for urgent and essential court business as a result of COVID-19.
Read moreHong Kong courts begin use of video conferencing
Given the extended general adjourned period (GAP), during which the courts in Hong Kong have been closed except for urgent and essential court business, the judiciary has adopted an incremental approach to the use of technology for remote hearings.
Read moreHong Kong Court of Appeal hears appeal using video conferencing
On 2 April 2020 the Chief Judge of the High Court issued a Guidance Note setting out the practice for remote hearings in the Court of First Instance of the High Court (but not the District Court) using the court's existing video conferencing facilities (VCF). Hard on its heels, on 6 April 2020 the Court of Appeal conducted a hearing by VCF in CSFK v. HWH [2020] HKCA 207.
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