Hong Kong Ordinances

DISTRICT COURT ORDINANCE - SECT 14

Officers of the Court

(Past version on 01/09/2000).
(Past version on 01/07/1997).
(Past version on 30/06/1997).

(1) The Chief Executive may appoint a registrar of the Court and such number
of deputy registrars, assistant registrars, chief judicial clerks and bailiffs
as he may think fit; and there may be attached to such court such number of
clerks of the Court, clerks, interpreters and other officers as the Chief
Executive may consider necessary. (Replaced 28 of 2000 s. 9)

(2) In addition to any functions, powers and duties which he is by this or any
other enactment enabled to exercise or required to discharge, the Registrar,
and every deputy registrar, assistant registrar, bailiff, clerk of the Court,
clerk, interpreter and other officer appointed or attached to the Court under
the provisions of subsection (1) may exercise and discharge the like
functions, powers and duties respectively insofar as the same are applicable
to the business and proceedings of the Court, as those exercised and
discharged by a registrar, deputy registrar, assistant registrar, bailiff,
clerk of the Court, clerk, interpreter or other officer attached to the High
Court. (Replaced 21 of 1962 s. 9. Amended 38 of 1965 s. 3; 92 of 1975 s. 58)

(2A) The Registrar shall have and may exercise and discharge such other
jurisdiction, powers and duties as may be conferred or imposed on him by or
under rules of court or any other law. (Added 28 of 2000 s. 9)

(2B) The deputy registrars and assistant registrars may be called Masters.
(Added 28 of 2000 s. 9)

(3) Any act which under this or any other enactment is required or authorized
to be done by the Registrar may be performed by a deputy registrar or
assistant registrar of the Court; and any process of the Court may be executed
by any bailiff thereof notwithstanding that it may have been directed
personally to some other bailiff. (Amended 21 of 1962 s. 9; 38 of 1965 s. 3)

(4) It shall be lawful, in relation to the business and proceedings of the
Court, for the Registrar of the High Court and every temporary registrar,
senior deputy registrar, temporary senior deputy registrar, deputy registrar,
temporary deputy registrar, assistant registrar, temporary assistant registrar
and bailiff attached to the High Court to exercise any power or discharge any
duty which such Registrar, temporary registrar, senior deputy registrar,
temporary senior deputy registrar, deputy registrar, temporary deputy
registrar, assistant registrar, temporary assistant registrar or bailiff might
respectively have exercised or discharged under subsections (2) and (3) if he
had been appointed or attached to the Court under subsection (1). (Replaced 28
of 2000 s. 9. Amended 10 of 2005 s. 146)

(5) In the exercise of his powers and discharge of his duties under this
Ordinance, any person to whom this section applies shall be subject to the
same liabilities and penalties and have the benefit of the same protection as
attach by virtue of the provisions of the High Court  Ordinance ( Cap 4) to a
person exercising or discharging similar powers or duties under that
Ordinance. (Amended 21 of 1962 s. 9; 28 of 2000 s. 9) (Replaced 18 of 1958 s.
3. Amended 25 of 1998 s. 2)