District Court

Coordinates: 22°16′48.02″N 114°10′20.48″E / 22.2800056°N 114.1723556°E / 22.2800056; 114.1723556

The District Courts (Chinese: 區域法院, 地方法院 before 1997) are the lower court system in Hong Kong, have both criminal and civil jurisdictions. The system is modelled after the English legal system, with indictable offences being taken up by the district court if at the hearing in the magistrate's court a criminal defendant elects for a jury trial.

The District Courts hear all serious cases except murder, manslaughter and rape, and can impose a sentence of up to seven years. Cases are heard in either the Chinese or English languages, at the sole discretion of the trial judge.

See also

• Judiciary of Hong Kong

External links

• Hong Kong Court Services and Facilities - information about the District Court.

v • d • e Court systems of the People's Republic of China "Constitutional court" = NPC Standing Committee Mainland Supreme People's Court of the People's Republic of China Local people's courts High courts Intermediate courts Basic courts Courts of special jurisdiction Military courts  · Railway transport courts  · Maritime courts  · Foresty courts  · Farming courts  · Petroleum courts Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal High Court District Court  · Magistrates' courts  · Tribunals Macau Court of Final Appeal Intermediate Court Courts of the First Instance = Primary Court + Administrative Court See also: Republic of China (controls Taiwan & patitial Fujian)

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