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Legal Information: Hong Kong & China

Here you will find lists of sources providing legal information available at HKUST Library, with an emphasis on Hong Kong. In addition to printed resources, relevant databases and websites are also included. Arrangement is by countries or regions.

Hong Kong Law

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 KNR1.5.H655)

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:

  • Legal Supplement no. 1 (LS no. 1)  -  full text of new ordinances & any amendments to existing legislation passed during the week
  • Legal Supplement no. 2 (LS no. 2)-   full text of new subsidiary legislation (e.g., regulations, rules or notices) & any amendments to existing subsidiary legislation passed during the week.
  • Legal Supplement no. 3 (LS no. 3) -  contains draft laws, i.e., bills (blue paper)

Hong Kong Law Reports and Cases

The Authorised Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal reports. (Per KNR2.3.A2 H63)

The Authorised Hong Kong law reports & digest:  The complete online version is available via Westlaw Asia--> Hong Kong Case Law.

screen capture of westlaw asia showing Hong Kong cae law: Hong Kong Case Digests; Hong Kong Chinese Law Reports and Translations; Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal Reports; Hong Kong Criminal Law Reports; Hong Kong District Court Law Reports; Hong Kong Law Reports; Hong Kong Law Reports and Digest; Lands Tribunal Law Reports; and Unreported Judgments

Hong Kong cases. (Per  KNR2.23.A25 1946/72 - 2009:v.6)

Encyclopedias & Dictionaries

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.
 
Hong Kong English-Chinese Legal Dictionary (Reference K50 .H65 2005)
英漢法律詞彙 = The English-Chinese glossary of legal terms.
(Online & Reference K52.C5 Y54)
 
英漢漢英香港法律詞匯 = English-Chinese Chinese-English a glossary of law for Hong Kong.
(Reference K52.C5 Y36 1998)
 
漢英法律詞彙 = The Chinese-English glossary of legal terms.
 
Hong Kong legal dictionary
(Reference KNR2.6 .H66 2004)

Life Cycle of an Ordinance

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

 

Ordinance Update

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.

Bills & Government Publications

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.


Reports of the meetings of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong. (E-Resources J665.H2 H65)
 
Environmental Laws & Regulations
This Government website provides information about international conventions and local laws and links to further info.
 

Websites on Chinese Law

中國人大網  - National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China
The official site of the National People's Congress of the PRC. Includes news, regulations, reports, regional representatives and their biographies.

國家法律法規數據庫
Developed by the Information Center of the National People's Congress, it contains a searchable database of PRC national and provincial laws and regulations, judgments, judicial interpretations, treaties, etc.

中國法院網
Hosted by the Supreme People's Court of PRC, this site provides judicial news, judicial systems, and records of trials in China. A search engine is provided to search the law and regulations database.

北大法律信息網 = Law of China Info
Provides a large collection of links to legal news, laws and regulations, cases, gazettes, law journal and legal forum. Some databases are fee-based.

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