Hong Kong e-Legislation (HKeL)
An electronic database of the consolidated statute laws of Hong Kong established and updated by the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Hong Kong Legal Information Institute
Provides access to Hong Kong legislation, cases, reports, and more.
HKSAR Government Gazette Legal Supplements
The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region gazette (E-Resources)
It is published weekly in Chinese and English when the Legislative Council is in session. It consists of a main volume and seven supplementary volumes. The following supplements are important legal sources:
The Authorised Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal reports. (Per KNR2.3.A2 H63)
The Authorised Hong Kong law reports & digest. (Per KNR2.23.A3 H652)
The complete online version is available via Westlaw Asia --> Hong Kong Case Law.
Hong Kong cases. (Per KNR2.23.A25 1946/72 - 2009:v.6)
Hong Kong English-Chinese Legal Dictionary
(K50 .H65 2005)
英漢漢英香港法律詞匯 = English-Chinese Chinese-English a glossary of law for Hong Kong
(K52.C5 Y36 1998)
英汉法律词典 = English-Chinese dictionary of law
(K52.C5 Y538 2008)
英漢法律詞彙 = The English-Chinese glossary of legal terms*
(K52.C5 Y54 2004)
Annotated ordinances of Hong Kong: with relevant subsidiary legislation*
(Reference KNQ 9302.3)
Provides comprehensive annotations to over 150 major ordinances, including extensive cross references to relevant legislation and case law.
Halsbury's laws of Hong Kong*
(Reference KNQ9302.3 .H352)
A multi-volume legal encyclopaedia for Hong Kong. Each volume contains statements of laws on specialized topics such as contract, tort, human rights and environment, supported by references to Hong Kong legislation and case law.
Halsbury's laws of Hong Kong. Current service*
(Reference KNQ9302.3 .H353)
An updating service for the bound volumes: Halsbury's laws of Hong Kong.
Tort Law in Hong Kong / by Rick Glofcheski (2nd ed.)
(KNQ9320.4 .G58 2007)
Hong Kong legal dictionary
(Reference KNR2.6 .H66 2004)<>
Shorter Oxford Dictionary
(PE1625 .N49 1993 v.1-2)
The dictionary most commonly used in the Hong Kong courts
Yearbook of International Environmental Law
(Online- 1996 - present) (Book Collection JX21 .Y37 v.1- v.6 1990-1995)
Search HKeL (Hong Kong e-Legistaion), i.e., the electronic version of the Laws of Hong Kong.
The announcement at the front page will tell you how current the database is. (The database is usually a month or less behind.) You then only need to check the subsequent issues of Government Gazette Legal Supplement no. 1 or 2 to trace any recent amendments, repeals, etc.
The Legislative Council of the HKSAR web page contains a section on Bills which gives selected full text of bills, the date it was introduced into Legco and the date it was passed.
| Stage | Manifestations |
| Proposals for change in the law from various sources: Govt, Law Reform Commission, other organizations. | Consultation papers, LRC reports |
| Draft bill | Send to interested parties for comments |
| Bill | LS3 (blue paper) |
| First reading/second Reading | Hansard [Council Meetings] |
| Committee | Hansard [Council Meetings] |
| Third reading | Hansard [Council Meetings] |
| Chief Executive's assent | Signed on Legal Supplement 1 |
| Ordinance published | Legal Supplement 1 |
| Comes into force (if not specified in LS1) | Commencement notice on Legal Supplement 2 |
| Amended | Amending ordinance published in Legal Supplement 1, then Laws of HK |
| Repealed | Repealing ordinance published in Legal Supplement 1, repealed ordinance disappears from Laws of HK |
| From: Cottrell, Jill. (1997) Legal Research: a Guide for Hong Kong Students. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press. | |
Further information
Drafting Legislation in Hong Kong - from the Department of Justice
