Hong Kong courts set to start going paperless this year, after a long period of deliberation
- The transition will be rolled out initially at District Court and Magistrates’ Court levels
- Some say the move is long overdue and that Hong Kong lags far behind Singapore, whose courts have allowed electronic filing since 2000
Hong Kong’s judiciary will start moving towards being paperless at District Court and Magistrates’ Court levels as early as this year, following seven years of discussions.
The long-awaited transition, which was first floated in consultation with the legal profession in 2012, could boost Hong Kong courts’ efficiency and competitiveness against regional competitor Singapore, which has had paperless courts since 2000.
But the legal profession said the wait has been too long, and urged the judiciary to give a clear indication on when the “e-courts” would be in full operation at other levels.
Meanwhile, lawyers have also asked for greater leeway to accept late submissions, which is sometimes tolerated at the court registry.
Currently, Hong Kong courts require litigants and lawyers to submit judicial applications and case materials in the form of printed copies. In practice, per legal sources, litigation lawyers are accustomed to exchanging some papers with adversaries. Some judges have also asked for electronic copies for easy reference.
