PRACTICE DIRECTION – 11.1
EX PARTE, INTERIM AND INTERLOCUTORY APPLICATIONS
FOR RELIEF (INCLUDING INJUNCTIVE RELIEF)
A Procedure for Urgent Applications
(1) General
1. Applications should, save in exceptional circumstances, be made on affidavit to a Judge or the Practice Master.
2. Enquiries should be made of the Clerk of Court if the application is to be to a Judge.
3. If the application is to the Practice Master, the papers, appropriately marked, should be handed in at the Registry counter.
(2) Urgent Applications to a Judge
4. Solicitors who have an urgent application should, as early as possible, contact the Clerk of Court who will direct them to any Judge or Deputy Judge who is free. This applies during opening hours of the Registry (i.e. from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.) from Mondays to Fridays.
5. If no Judge is free during usual court sitting hours, or if there is good reason why the application cannot be made earlier, the Duty Judge will be available at 4:30 p.m.
6. Outside the above opening hours of the Registry, the Duty Judge should be approached in the usual way. Solicitors should first contact the Duty Judge who may either deal with the matter himself or otherwise refer the matter to another Judge as he sees fit and give all necessary directions.
7. Solicitors should distinguish between:
(1) an urgent application which requires an immediate order; and
(2) an application which, because of confidentiality, requires an ex parte hearing but does not necessarily require an immediate order.
In the latter case, solicitors should ask the Clerk of Court for an appointment before a Judge in the usual way.
(3) Urgent Applications to the Judge in Charge of the Admiralty List
8. As far as reasonably practicable, urgent applications in ongoing or anticipated proceedings in the Admiralty List should be made to the Judge in charge of the Admiralty List (“the Admiralty Judge”).
9. Solicitors who have an urgent application of the nature specified in paragraph 8 should, as early as possible, contact the Clerk of Court during the opening hours of the Registry as set out in paragraph 4 above, and inform him that the application is one which should be made to the Admiralty Judge. The Clerk of Court will direct them to the Admiralty Judge if he is free.
10. If the Admiralty Judge is not free, or if there is some reason why the application cannot be made before him during usual court sitting hours, the Clerk of Court will endeavour to place the application before a Judge familiar with Admiralty matters. If no such Judge is available, the application will generally be placed before the Admiralty Judge outside usual court sitting hours.
11. In cases of real urgency during usual court sitting hours, when a matter cannot wait but neither the Admiralty Judge nor a Judge familiar with Admiralty matters is readily available, the application will be placed before the Duty Judge.
12. In cases of real urgency outside the opening hours of the Registry as set out in paragraph 4 above, solicitors should in the first instance contact the Duty Judge. Solicitors should then inform the Duty Judge about the nature of the application and request that the application be heard by the Admiralty Judge. The Duty Judge may in his discretion hear the application himself, or if it is in his opinion that the matter should be heard by the Admiralty Judge, direct that the application be made instead to the Admiralty Judge or a Judge familiar with Admiralty matters if either such Judge is available, and provide solicitors with their contact telephone numbers to enable solicitors to make arrangements for an urgent hearing before either of them.
(3A) Urgent Applications to the Judge in Charge of the Commercial List
12A. As far as reasonably practicable, urgent applications in ongoing or anticipated proceedings in the Commercial List should be made to the Judge in charge of the Commercial List (“the Commercial Judge”).
12B. Solicitors who have an urgent application of the nature specified in paragraph 12A should, as early as possible, contact the Clerk of Court during the opening hours of the Registry as set out in paragraph 4 above, and inform him that the application is one which should be made to the Commercial Judge. The Clerk of Court will direct them to the Commercial Judge if he is free.
12C. If the Commercial Judge is not free, or if there is some reason why the application cannot be made before him during usual court sitting hours, the Clerk of Court will endeavour to place the application before a Judge familiar with commercial matters. If no such Judge is available, the application will generally be placed before the Commercial Judge outside usual court sitting hours.
12D. In cases of real urgency during usual court sitting hours, when a matter cannot wait but neither the Commercial Judge nor a Judge familiar with commercial matters is readily available, the application will be placed before the Duty Judge.
12E. In cases of real urgency outside the opening hours of the Registry as set out in paragraph 4 above, solicitors should in the first instance contact the Duty Judge. Solicitors should then inform the Duty Judge about the nature of the application and request that the application be heard by the Commercial Judge. The Duty Judge may in his discretion hear the application himself, or if it is in his opinion that the matter should be heard by the Commercial Judge, direct that the application be made instead to the Commercial Judge or a Judge familiar with commercial matters if either such Judge is available, and provide solicitors with their contact telephone numbers to enable solicitors to make arrangements for an urgent hearing before either of them.
12F. This section 3A of Practice Direction 11.1 supersedes Practice Direction 7.3 (Urgent Applications in Commercial List) from 1 November 2009.
(4) Urgent Applications to the Companies Judge
13. In addition to urgent applications in Bankruptcy or Winding-up List matters, (which should, pursuant to Practice Direction 3.1, Part III, paragraph 2.1, be made to the Companies Judge), urgent applications in ongoing or anticipated proceedings involving any matter relating to the internal management of companies should, as far as practicable, be made to the Companies Judge. Such matters would include:
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applications for an injunction to restrain the holding of meetings of directors or shareholders of companies; |
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applications for an injunction to restrain any person from acting in the capacity of director of a company; |
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applications for the appointment of receivers and / or managers of companies; |
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applications relating to the transfer or registration of transfer of shares in companies; and |
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applications in which the standing of a party or intending party to make applications on behalf of a company by way of derivative action (whether at common law or pursuant to the provisions of Part IVAA of the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32)) is or may be in issue. |
14. Solicitors who have an urgent application of the nature specified in paragraph 13 should, as early as possible, contact the Clerk of Court during the opening hours of the Registry as set out in paragraph 4 above, and inform him that the application is one which should be made to the Companies Judge. The Clerk of Court will direct them to the Companies Judge if he is free.
15. If the Companies Judge is not free, or if there is some reason why the application cannot be made before him during usual court sitting hours, the Clerk of Court will endeavour to place the application before a Judge familiar with company law matters. If no such Judge is available, the application will generally be placed before the Companies Judge outside usual court sitting hours.
16. In cases of real urgency during usual court sitting hours, when a matter cannot wait but neither the Companies Judge nor a Judge familiar with company law matters is readily available, the application will be placed before the Duty Judge.
17. In cases of real urgency outside the opening hours of the Registry as set out in paragraph 4 above, solicitors should in the first instance contact the Duty Judge. Solicitors should then inform the Duty Judge about the nature of the application and request that the application be heard by the Companies Judge. The Duty Judge may in his discretion hear the application himself, or if it is in his opinion that the matter should be heard by the Companies Judge, direct that the application be made instead to the Companies Judge or a Judge familiar with company law matters if either such Judge is available, and provide solicitors with their contact telephone numbers to enable solicitors to make arrangements for an urgent hearing before either of them.
(5) Urgent Applications to a Master
18. Solicitors who have an urgent application to a Master should contact the clerk to the Practice Master who will arrange an attendance before the Practice Master or, if he is engaged, any other Master who is available.
B Materials Required in Ex Parte Applications for Interim Relief
(1) General
19. In all applications ex parte for the grant, continuance or discharge of an order for interim relief (including, but not limited to, injunctive relief), the papers together with a draft of the Order which the Court will be invited to make should be delivered to the Court sufficiently long before the hearing to enable the Judge to read and digest them all before the hearing.
20. Usually the issue of a writ or originating summons and the swearing of an affidavit in support of an ex parte application for interim relief is required before the application is made. This includes the situation where interim relief is sought in aid of proceedings outside of Hong Kong pursuant to High Court Ordinance (Cap. 4), section 21M (see Order 29, rule 8A).
21. Where disclosures not contained in the evidence or skeleton argument are made orally during the ex parte hearing, an undertaking to the Court will be required to file and serve a supplemental affidavit setting out these further disclosures.
22. If in very exceptional circumstances precise compliance with this Practice Direction is not possible, the Court will expect an explanation as to why this is so.
(2) Affidavits
23. The affidavit(s) in support of the application should be limited to evidence necessary to give a clear, concise and fair statement of relevant facts.
24. Affidavits should not contain submissions and argument.
25. Exhibits to affidavits should be strictly limited to the issues in the application. No documents should be exhibited which are not of essential importance.
26. The affidavit in support should contain a clear and concise statement of the following:
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the facts giving rise to the claim against the defendant; |
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the facts giving rise to the claim for interim relief; |
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the facts relied upon as justifying the application ex parte for each part of the Order sought (including details of any prior notice given to the defendant or the reasons for giving no such notice); |
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any answer either asserted or likely to be asserted by the defendant in response to the applicant’s claims for interim and substantive relief; |
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any facts known to the applicant which might lead the Court not to grant the relief sought or not to grant suchrelief ex parte; and |
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the precise relief sought. |
(3) Skeleton Arguments
27. The application should be accompanied by a skeleton argument setting out precisely and succinctly how it is said that the case meets the requirements for the Order sought.
28. Where it is claimed that there are any exceptional circumstances justifying the interim relief being sought, those circumstances should be specified.
29. The skeleton argument should also specify the relevant passages in any affidavits and documentary evidence being relied upon.
30. The skeleton argument lodged with the Court must be served on the opposite party (including where the hearing is ex parte on notice) together with the Order and evidence.
(4) Orders
31. Applicants for ex parte relief should prepare and lodge with the papers relating to the application a draft minute of the Order sought. Such minute should specify the precise relief which the Court is asked to grant.
32. While the undertakings required of an applicant will vary from case to case, an applicant will usually be required:
(1) to give an undertaking in damages;
(2) to notify the defendant of the terms of the Order forthwith by appropriate means;
(3) to pay the reasonable costs and expenses of compliance with the Order incurred by a third party to whom notice of the Order is given;
(4) if proceedings have not been issued, to issue them forthwith; and
(5) if a draft affidavit has not been sworn, or where other facts have been placed before the Court or disclosures made orally, to procure the swearing of the affidavit or the verification on affidavit of the disclosures made or facts orally outlined to the Court.
33. The Order should, as a general rule, contain provision:
(1) for the defendant to apply on notice for discharge or variation of the Order;
(2) for a return date, of an inter partes hearing; and
(3) for the costs to be reserved.
C Commencement Date
34. This Practice Direction supersedes the previous Practice Direction on Ex Parte, Interim and Interlocutory Applications for Injunctions dated 12 February 2009.
35. This Practice Direction shall come into effect on 1 November 2009.
Dated this 5th of October 2009.
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( Andrew Li ) | |
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Chief Justice |
實務指示 — 11.1
單方面、中期及非正審的濟助
（包括強制性濟助）申請
A 迫切申請的程序
(1) 一般事項
1. 除特殊情況外，申請應以誓章形式向法官或常規聆案官提出。
2. 若申請須向法官提出，有關查詢應向高等法院書記主任（“書記主任”）提出。
3. 若申請是向常規聆案官提出的，註有適當標記hong的文件便應呈交登記處櫃枱。
(2) 向法官提出的迫切申請
4. 任何律師如需要提出迫切申請，應儘早聯絡書記主任，並按其指示向一位有空處理該申 請的法官或暫委法官提出申請。此安排適用於登記處星期一至五的辦公時間（即上午9時 至下午1時以及下午2時至5時）。
5. 若在法庭一般聆訊時間內沒有法官能夠抽空，或因為充分理由而不能提早作出申請，則 當值法官會在下午4時半處理該申請。
6. 在上文所述的登記處辦公時間以外，律師應按慣常做法與當值法官聯絡。律師應先聯絡 當值法官，當值法官可親自處理有關事宜，或轉交另一位他認爲合適的法官處理，並作出
所有必要的指示。
7. 律師應對以下兩者分辨清楚：
(1)需要法庭即時作出命令的迫切申請；及
(2)不一定需要法庭即時作出命令，但因保密的緣故而需要進行單方面聆訊的申請。
若屬後者的情況，律師應按慣常做法向書記主任要求約見法官。
(3) 向專責處理海事案件審訊表的法官提出的迫切申請
8. 如就海事案件審訊表内正在進行或將要進行的法律程序提出迫切申請，在合理地切實可 行的範圍内，該申請應向專責處理海事案件審訊表的法官（“海事案件法官”）提出。
9. 任何律師如需要提出第8段指明的迫切申請，應儘早在上文第4段列出的登記處辦公時間 內聯絡書記主任，並告知該申請須向海事案件法官提出。若海事案件法官有空，書記主任
會指示律師到該位法官席前提出申請。
10. 若海事案件法官未能抽空處理有關申請，或基於某些原因，申請未能在法庭一般聆訊 時間內在其席前提出，書記主任便會盡力安排一位熟悉海事事宜的法官處理。一般來説，
如沒有熟悉海事事宜的法官可以抽空，該申請便會交由海事案件法官在法庭一般聆訊時間
以外處理。
11. 如在法庭一般聆訊時間内遇有真正迫切而刻不容緩的情况，而海事案件法官及熟悉海 事事宜的法官均不能抽空，則有關申請會交由當值法官處理。
12. 如在上文第4段列出的登記處辦公時間以外遇有真正迫切的情况，律師應首先聯絡當值 法官，告知有關申請的性質，並要求由海事案件法官聆訊有關申請。當值法官可酌情決定
自行聆訊該申請，或若他認爲有關申請應由海事案件法官聆訊，他可指示該申請須向海事
案件法官或一位熟悉海事事宜的法官提出（若其中一位法官有空處理該申請），及把法官
的聯絡電話號碼交予律師，以便律師安排在其中一位法官席前進行緊急聆訊。
(3A) 向專責處理商業案件審訊表的法官提出的迫切申請
12A. 如就商業案件審訊表内正在進行或將要進行的法律程序提出迫切申請，在合理地切 實可行的範圍内，該申請應向專責處理商業案件審訊表的法官（“商業案件法官”）提出。
12B. 任何律師如需要提出第12A段指明的迫切申請，應儘早在上文第4段列出的登記處辦 公時間內聯絡書記主任，並告知該申請須向商業案件法官提出。若商業案件法官有空，書
記主任會指示律師到該位法官席前提出申請。
12C. 若商業案件法官未能抽空處理有關申請，或基於某些原因，申請未能在法庭一般聆 訊時間內在其席前提出，書記主任便會盡力安排一位熟悉商業事宜的法官處理。一般來説
，如沒有熟悉商業事宜的法官可以抽空，該申請便會交由商業案件法官在法庭一般聆訊時
間以外處理。
12D. 如在法庭一般聆訊時間内遇有真正迫切而刻不容緩的情况，而商業案件法官及熟悉 商業事宜的法官均不能抽空，則有關申請會交由當值法官處理。
12E. 如在上文第4段列出的登記處辦公時間以外遇有真正迫切的情况，律師應首先聯絡當 值法官，告知有關申請的性質，並要求由商業案件法官聆訊有關申請。當值法官可酌情決
定自行聆訊該申請，或若他認爲有關申請應由商業案件法官聆訊，他可指示該申請須向商
業案件法官或一位熟悉商業事宜的法官提出（若其中一位法官有空處理該申請），及把法
官的聯絡電話號碼交予律師，以便律師安排在其中一位法官席前進行緊急聆訊。
12F. 由2009年11月1日起，實務指示11.1第3A部取代實務指示7.3 — 為商業案件而作出的 迫切申請。
(4) 向公司案件法官提出的迫切申請
13. 除了就破產或公司清盤案件審訊表内的事宜提出的迫切申請外（此等申請應依據實務 指示3.1第III部第2.1段，向公司案件法官提出），就正在進行或將要進行的法律程序而提 出的迫切申請，若牽涉公司内部管理，則在切實可行的情況下，亦應向公司案件法官提出
。該等事宜包括：
(1) 申請禁制舉行公司董事或股東會議的強制令；
(2) 申請禁制任何人以公司董事的身份行事的強制令；
(3) 申請委任公司接管人及/或經理人；
(4) 關於公司股份轉讓或股份轉讓登記的申請；及
(5) 在有關申請中，就某方或擬成爲一方的某方藉衍生訴訟代表公司提出申請（不論是根 據普通法或依據《公司條例》（第32章）第IVAA部的條文）的身份存在或可能存在爭議 。
14. 任何律師如需要提出第13段指明的迫切申請，應儘早在上文第4段列出的登記處辦公時 間內聯絡書記主任，並告知該申請須向公司案件法官提出。若公司案件法官有空，書記主
任會指示律師到該位法官席前提出申請。
15. 若公司案件法官未能抽空處理有關申請，或基於某些原因，申請未能在法庭一般聆訊 時間內在其席前提出，書記主任便會盡力安排一位熟悉公司法事宜的法官處理。一般來説
，如沒有熟悉公司法事宜的法官可以抽空，該申請便會交由公司案件法官在法庭一般聆訊
時間以外處理。
16. 如在法庭一般聆訊時間内遇有真正迫切而刻不容緩的情况，而公司案件法官及熟悉公 司法事宜的法官均不能抽空，則有關申請會交由當值法官處理。
17. 如在上文第4段列出的登記處辦公時間以外遇有真正迫切的情况，律師應首先聯絡當值 法官，告知有關申請的性質，並要求由公司案件法官聆訊有關申請。當值法官可酌情決定
自行聆訊該申請，或若他認爲有關申請應由公司案件法官聆訊，他可指示該申請須向公司
案件法官或一位熟悉公司法事宜的法官提出（若其中一位法官有空處理該申請），及把法
官的聯絡電話號碼交予律師，以便律師安排在其中一位法官席前進行緊急聆訊。
(5) 向聆案官提出的迫切申請
18. 任何律師如需要向聆案官提出迫切申請，應與常規聆案官的書記聯絡，以便安排到常 規聆案官席前；若常規聆案官需處理其他事務，則書記會安排另一位有空的聆案官處理。
B 單方面申請中期濟助所需資料
(1) 一般事項
19. 凡單方面向法庭申請批准、延續或撤銷中期濟助令（包括但不限於強制性濟助），有 關文件連同一份擬要求法庭頒發的命令的草擬本應在聆訊前儘早送交法庭，以便法官在聆
訊前有足夠時間審閱及了解其所有內容。
20. 一般而言，訴訟人在提出申請前，須先發出令狀或原訴傳票，以及就支持單方面申請 中期濟助的誓章進行宣誓，這包括根據《高等法院條例》（第4章）第21M條尋求有助香 港以外的法律程序的臨時濟助之情况（見第29號命令第8A條規則）。
21. 若在單方面聆訊中口頭披露了一些在證據或論點綱要中沒有載列的資料，則有關一方 必須向法庭作出承諾，以補充誓章列明該等進一步披露的資料，並將該誓章送交法庭存檔
及送達予各方。
22. 任何一方若因極特殊的情況而未能嚴格遵從本實務指示的規定，則該方應向法庭解釋 沒有遵從指示的原因。
(2) 誓章
23. 用以支持申請的誓章，內容應限於提供必要的證據，以清晰、扼要及公正地述明有關 事實。
24. 誓章內容不應載有陳詞及論據。
25. 誓章所附同的證物應僅限於與該申請的爭論點有關的證物，文件若非具有必要的重要 性，不應提交作為證物。
26. 用以支持申請的誓章應清楚扼要地述明：
(1) 引致向被告人提出申索的事實因由；
(2) 引致申索中期濟助的事實因由；
(3) 就要求法庭作出的命令的每一部份，述明以單方面方式向法庭提出申請所依據的事實 ，（包括預先向被告人發出的通知的詳情，或沒有向被告人發出該等通知的原因）；
(4) 被告人就中期及實質濟助的申索回應申請人時，力稱或相當可能會力稱的説法；
(5) 申請人已知可能會導致法庭不批准所尋求的濟助，或不在單方面申請的情况下批准該 濟助的事實；及
(6) 申請人確實尋求的濟助。
(3) 論點綱要
27. 申請書須附同一份論點綱要，論點綱要應簡潔確切地列明申請人為何認為該案符合所 尋求的命令的要求。
28. 若申請人聲稱有特殊的情況支持其尋求的中期濟助，則應指明該等情況。
29. 論點綱要亦應指明在誓章及文件證據中作為依據的相關段落。
30. 申請人須將遞交予法庭的論點綱要連同法庭命令及證據送達對方（包括向對方發出通 知的單方面聆訊）。
(4) 命令
31. 單方面要求濟助的申請人應備妥一份要求法庭頒發的命令的草擬本，連同與申請有關 的文件遞交予法庭，該命令草擬本內應具體列明申請人要求法庭批准的濟助。
32. 雖然申請人須作出的承諾會因應不同的案件而有所分別，但是一般來說，申請人須：
(1) 對損害賠償作出承諾；
(2) 立刻以適當方式通知被告人該命令的條款；
(3) 支付獲通知法庭命令的第三方因為遵從法庭命令而招致的合理訟費及支出；
(4) （若法律程序尚未開展）立刻展開有關的法律程序；及
(5) （若誓章草擬本未經宣誓，或在法庭席前提出了其他事實，或口頭披露了其他資料） 促使就該誓章進行宣誓，或以誓章核實向法庭作出的披露或口頭概述的事實。
33. 按一般規定，法庭命令應載有就下列事項訂立的規定：
(1) 被告人可向各方發出通知，申請撤銷或更改命令；
(2) 進行各方之間的聆訊的日期；及
(3) 訟費容後判定。
C 生效日期
34. 本實務指示取代之前於2009年2月12日發出的“實務指示 — 單方面、中期及非正審的強 制令申請”。
35. 本實務指示於2009年11月1日起生效。
日期：2009年10月5日
(李國能) 終審法院首席法官