Hong Kong Regulations

CIVIL CELEBRANT OF MARRIAGES APPOINTMENT APPEAL BOARD REGULATION - SECT 16

Witnesses and evidence

(1) The Appeal Board may receive and consider any material (whether in the
form of oral evidence, written statement, document or otherwise) which appears
to it to be relevant to the issues in an appeal notwithstanding that the
material would not be admissible as evidence in a court of law.

(2) The Appeal Board may by notice in writing signed by the Chairperson (or
the Deputy Chairperson if he is presiding) require any person to attend any
hearing of the Appeal Board to—

   (a)  give evidence;

   (b)  produce any document or other thing in that person’s possession,
        custody or power; or

   (c)  answer any question, relating to any issue in the appeal.

(3) The Appeal Board may administer oaths and affirmations and may examine on
oath, affirmation or otherwise any person attending before it.

(4) Every witness in hearings of the Appeal Board shall be entitled to the
same privileges in respect of the giving of evidence and the production of any
document or other thing as he would be entitled to if appearing as a witness
in civil proceedings before the Court of First Instance.

(5) The Appeal Board may allow in respect of a witness who attends a hearing
of the Appeal Board a professional witness allowance, expert witness allowance
or loss allowance not exceeding the professional witness allowance, expert
witness allowance or loss allowance, as the case may be, that may be allowed
under the Criminal Procedure (Witnesses’ Allowances) Rules ( Cap 221 sub.
leg. B) in respect of a witness.

(6) If a sum allowed under subsection (5) is not claimed within 3 months from
the date on which it was allowed, it shall cease to be payable.