introductiontolegalsystem.docVIP

Introduction to Legal System @ Classification of law (2) @ Equity (5) @ Sources of Hong Kong Law (7) @ Law Reports (9) @ Principles of Statutory Interpretation (10) @ Context Approach (16) @ Statute Must be Read as a Whole (18) @ Systems of Judicial Precedents (19) Appendix: Final Court of Appeal decision on Interpretation of Basic Law (20) Notes on Answering Legal Questions Small Claim Tribunal Forms Reading : Peter Westly-Smith, An Introduction to the Hong Kong Legal System, Hong Kong Oxford and New York : Oxford University Press, 3rd ed, 1998. Ian Dobinson and Derek Roebuck, Introduction to Law in the Hong Kong SAR, Sweet Maxwell, 1996. @ Classification of law 1. written vs unwritten 2. civil vs common law ( 大陸法系 v 普通法系 ) 3. civil vs criminal law ( 民事 v 刑事) 4. enacted vs decisional vs customary ( 議會立法 v 法庭決定 v 地方習慣 ) 5. municipal (domestic) vs international ( 國內法 v 國際法 ) 6. constitutional vs public vs private ( 憲法 v 公法 v 私法 ) 7. substantive vs procedural ( 實体法 v 程序法 ) 8. common law vs statute law ( 案例法 v 議會立法 ) 9. common law vs equity ( 普通法 v 衡平法 ) 10. Delegated legislations under a statute ( 授權立法 ) eg. Rules規則, orders by-laws * The three Institutions of Law and Separation of powers 三權分立 - Legislature - Executive - Judiciary * The Court system in Hong Kong - Magistrate Court 裁判法院 - District Court / County Court 區域法院 - Court of First Instance (High Court) 高院原訟庭 (Divisions in UK : Chancery, Family, Queens Bench) - Court of Appeal (High Court) 高院上訴庭 - Final Court of Appeal (Privy Council, House of Lords) 終審庭 - Tribunals: Specialized Courts, eg. - Labour 勞資審裁處 - Lands 士地審裁處 - Small Claim 小額錢債審裁處 - Insider Dealing 內幕交易審裁處 - Coroners 死因裁判庭 * The Legal Profession : - Barristers 訟務律師 - Solicitors 事務律師 - Legal Executives 法律行政人員 Jurisdiction of the: Courts Court of Final Appeal Composition: bench of 5 judges. Hears appeals in criminal and civil matters from Court of Appeal. An appeal shall lie to the Court of F