The Government published in the Gazette today (March 20) the Rules of the High Court (Amendment) Rules 2020 and the Rules of the District Court (Amendment) Rules 2020. The Amendment Rules will be tabled at the Legislative Council for negative vetting on March 25.
"The Amendment Rules seek to provide an official channel for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to make outgoing requests (in line with that provided for incoming requests under the existing Rules of the High Court) to the Macao Special Administrative Region (Macao SAR) for service of judicial documents in civil and commercial cases. The legislative amendments are necessary for implementing the Arrangement for Mutual Service of Judicial Documents in Civil and Commercial Cases between the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Macao Special Administrative Region concluded in December 2017," a Government spokesman said.
The Amendment Rules will address the existing unsatisfactory situation where litigants in the HKSAR are required to serve judicial documents in civil and commercial cases to parties in Macao SAR through private means. This will provide certainty and enhance efficiency in the service of judicial documents in civil and commercial cases between the two places.
The target commencement date for the Amendment Rules is August 1.
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