The following table briefly sets out some of the free or subsidized legal assistance commonly available for eligible persons in Hong Kong:
Types of cases |
Legal assistance available |
All criminal cases tried in District Court | Legal Aid Scheme |
All criminal cases tried in the High Court | |
Appeals against conviction or sentence passed by a Magistrate or a judge of the District Court or the High Court | |
Committal proceedings in the Magistrates Courts (Note: Committal proceedings are proceedings before a Magistrate for determining whether or not there is enough evidence against a defendant for a criminal case to be transferred to the High Court for trial or sentence.) | |
Criminal cases tried in Magistrates Courts and Juvenile Courts | Duty Lawyer Scheme |
Criminal cases tried in Juvenile Courts | |
Persons who are at risk of criminal prosecution as a result of giving incriminating evidence in Coroners Inquest | |
Hawkers appealing to the Municipal Services Appeals Board against the decision of not issuing hawker licence | |
Eligible persons facing extradition proceedings | |
Free legal advice and representation in court proceedings | The Bar Free Legal Service Scheme |
Free preliminary legal advice | Free Legal Advice Scheme |
Free taped legal information | Tel-Law Scheme |