Basic Legal Knowledge
Procedures during criminal hearings
Juvenile Court
Arresting procedure, my rights and obligations
Free or subsidized legal assistance
Protection for victims
Punishment and sentencing options
Criminal records and the Rehabilitation of Offenders Ordinance
Duty Lawyer Scheme
Duty Lawyer Scheme is run by the Duty Lawyer Service (http://www.dutylawyer.org.hk/). The Duty Lawyer Scheme mainly provides legal representation in criminal cases to eligible defendants appearing in Magistrates Courts and Juvenile Courts. The legal representation is provided by qualified solicitors and barristers in private practice.
The Duty Lawyer Scheme also provides legal representation to:
- eligible 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 (http://www.admwing.gov.hk/eng/links/msab.htm)against the decision of not issuing hawker licence to them; and
- eligible persons facing extradition proceedings.
The Scheme does not offer representation for:
- committal proceedings
- hawking offences;
- traffic summonses; and
- other "regulatory offences" such as departmental summonses issued by the following departments of the HKSAR Government:
- Environmental Protection Department;
- Inland Revenue Department;
- Fire Services Department.
For more details about the Duty Lawyer Scheme, please visit the Duty Lawyer Service's webpage at http://www.dutylawyer.org.hk/eng/duty/duty.asp or telephone 2526 5969.