Hong Kong – Legal Advice Scheme for Unrepresented Litigants on Civil Procedures enhanced

     The Administration Wing of the Chief Secretary for Administration’s Office announced today (August 28) enhancements to the Legal Advice Scheme for Unrepresented Litigants on Civil Procedures (Procedural Advice Scheme).
 
     To enable more members of the public in need to receive services, the Procedural Advice Scheme will lift the existing income eligibility limit of not exceeding a monthly income of $50,000 or an annual income of $600,000 from next Monday (September 4). Unrepresented litigants who have not engaged lawyers nor been granted legal aid can apply for the scheme to seek free legal advice, without the need to provide information on their income, on civil procedural matters of the proceedings (including commencement of proceedings) in the Lands Tribunal, Family Court, District Court or the courts above to which they are parties.
 
     In addition, in order to facilitate applicants’ submission of applications, the Procedural Advice Scheme will expand, effective from the same day (September 4), the scope of its online application system from re-applicants who have attended advice session on the case in question to all applicants. To use the service, members of the public can visit the following website eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/cso001/en/.
 
     A spokesman for Administration Wing said, “Since its launch in 2013, the Procedural Advice Scheme has conducted over 24 000 advice sessions for about 9 000 eligible litigants. The enhancements will further respond to the society’s needs and benefit more people in need.”
 
     For details, members of the public can call 2259 5017 or visit the dedicated webpage of the Procedural Advice Scheme at www.admwing.gov.hk/eng/public_service/paso.htm.
 
     The Procedural Advice Scheme provides free legal advice on civil procedural matters for unrepresented litigants who commence or are parties to legal proceedings (including commencement of proceedings) in the Lands Tribunal, the Family Court, the District Court, the Court of First Instance or Court of Appeal of the High Court, or the Court of Final Appeal. Under the enhanced scheme, applicants will remain responsible at all times for the conduct of their own proceedings.