Small Claims Tribunal (Suitors’ Funds) Rules （Chapter 338D）, Hong Kong, China

• Chapter: 338D SMALL CLAIMS TRIBUNAL (SUITORS' FUNDS) RULES
  • Rule: 1 Citation
  • Rule: 2 Interpretation
  • Rule: 3 Payment into the tribunal
  • Rule: 4 Registrar to give receipt
  • Rule: 5 Registrar to keep accounts
  • Rule: 6 Payment out of funds in the tribunal
  • Rule: 7 Payment out on death of person entitled
  • Rule: 8 Transfer of interest to general revenue
  • Rule: 9 Transfer of unclaimed funds to general revenue
  • Rule: 10 Annual statement of accounts and audit
  • Schedule: SCHEDULE

These rules may be cited as the Small Claims Tribunal (Suitors' Funds) Rules.

In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires

"funds" (儲存金) means money standing in or to be placed to the registrar's account;

"order" (命令) means an award or order of the tribunal or, in case of an appeal, of the Court, and includes any allocation by an adjudicator of the amount of an award;

"registrar" (司法常務官) means the Registrar of the District Court; (28 of 2000 s. 47)

"tribunal" (審裁處) means the Small Claims Tribunal. (21 of 1999 s. 17)

(1) All funds to be paid into the tribunal shall be paid to the registrar.

(2) Except where the circumstances otherwise require, the registrar shall pay any funds paid into the tribunal to an account which may be interest earning or not (to be called the Small Claims Tribunal Suitors' Funds Account) at such bank as the Director of Accounting Services shall direct.

(1) The registrar shall give a receipt to any person by whom funds are paid into the tribunal.

(2) A receipt given under this rule shall be as nearly as may be in Form 1 in the Schedule hereto and shall contain particulars sufficient to identify the payment to which it relates and a statement of such of the following circumstances as may be applicable-

(a) paid in on behalf of defendant (name of party) in satisfaction of claim of the above-named (name of party);

(b) paid in under order dated the day of 19 ;

(c) paid in to security for costs account on behalf of (name of party).

(1) The registrar shall keep appropriate accounts in respect of all funds paid into the tribunal and of all dealings relating thereto.

(2) No account kept by the registrar under this rule shall be credited with any sum by way of interest.

(1) Funds paid into the tribunal may be paid out by cheque or in cash as the registrar may direct and, in the case of payment by cheque, the cheque shall be signed by 2 persons authorized in writing by the registrar from time to time. (L.N. 344 of 1980)

(2)

Payment out may be made at the offices of the tribunal on any week-day, not being a Saturday or general holiday, between the hours of 10.00 a.m. and 1.00 p.m. and between the hours of 2.00 p.m. and 4.00 p.m.; and on any Saturday (not being a general holiday) between the hours of 10.00 a.m. and 12 noon.

Cap 338D - SMALL CLAIMS TRIBUNAL (SUITORS' FUNDS) RULES

Where the registrar is satisfied that any person entitled under rule 6 to payment out of funds has died, the registrar may pay out such funds (or any portion thereof remaining unpaid at the date of the death of the deceased) as follows-

(a)

the registrar may pay out such funds to the legal personal representatives of the deceased or, if it appears that any such personal representative had died, to the survivor or survivors of them;

(b)

where it appears to the registrar that the deceased died intestate having assets not exceeding the value of $5000 including the amount of such funds, and if administration has not been granted in respect of his estate, the registrar may pay out such funds to the person who (being the spouse, child, father, mother, brother or sister of the deceased) would have the prior right to a grant of administration of the estate, upon a declaration by such person in Form 2 in the Schedule hereto.

The registrar shall, at the end of each financial year or so soon thereafter as may be practicable, pay into the general revenue of Hong Kong any interest that has been credited to the Small Claims Tribunal Suitors' Funds Account.

(1)

Where any funds paid into the tribunal remain unclaimed for a period of five years after the date of payment into the tribunal, the Chief Justice may, on application by the registrar, direct that such funds shall be paid into the general revenue of Hong Kong. (L.N. 197 of 1983)

(2)

Before giving any direction under paragraph (1), the Chief Justice may direct that such notice, if any, as he thinks necessary shall be given in such manner and to such persons as he may so direct.

(1)

The registrar shall in each year cause to be prepared for the period of twelve months ending on the 31st March in that year a statement of the accounts kept by him under rule 5, and such statement shall- (L.N. 446 of 1994)

(a)

include a receipts and payments account and a statement of assets and liabilities; and

(b)

be signed by the Registrar of the High Court. (25 of 1998 s. 2)

(2) (Repealed 32 of 2000 s. 23)

FORM 1 [rule 4(2)] SMALL CLAIM TRIBUNAL (SUITORS' FUNDS) RULES Receipt IN THE SMALL CLAIM TRIBUNAL (Title of cause or matter. No. of 19 ). Ledger account

Cap 338D - SMALL CLAIMS TRIBUNAL (SUITORS' FUNDS) RULES

(if the same as the cause, state as above). Received from the sum of (Signature) Registrar. Dated this day of 19 .

FORM 2 [rule 7] SMALL CLAIM TRIBUNAL (SUITORS' FUNDS) RULES Declaration IN THE SMALL CLAIMS TRIBUNAL (Title of cause or matter. No. of 19 ). Ledger account (if the same as the cause, state as above). I (name and address of applicant) solemnly and sincerely declare that I am the (degree of relationship) and next or one of the next of kin of (name of deceased) and that I am entitled to take out administration to his estate and to receive the sum of $ directed to be paid to him by the order dated the 19 . And I further declare that the total value of the assets of the deceased including the above sum does not exceed $5000, and I certify that the death-bed and funeral expenses of the deceased have been paid; and I make this solemn declaration conscientiously believing the same to be true and by virtue of the provisions of the Oaths and Declarations Ordinance, Chapter 11. (Signature of applicant) Declared at Before me this day of 19 . (Signature) Notary public, or other authorized officer. (47 of 1997 s. 10)

Cap 338D - SMALL CLAIMS TRIBUNAL (SUITORS' FUNDS) RULES

• 章： 338D 小額錢債審裁處(訴訟人儲存金)規則
  • 條： 1 引稱
  • 條： 2 釋義
  • 條： 3 繳存審裁處的款項
  • 條： 4 司法常務官須發給收據
  • 條： 5 司法常務官須備存帳目
  • 條： 6 由審裁處儲存金付出的款項
  • 條： 7 有權收款的人去世後的付款法
  • 條： 8 將利息撥歸政府一般收入
  • 條： 9 將無人認領的儲存金撥歸政府一般收入
  • 條： 10 周年帳目報表及審計
  • 附表： 附表

本規則可引稱為《小額錢債審裁處(訴訟人儲存金)規則》。

在本規則中，除文意另有所指外─

“司法常務官”(registrar) 指區域法院的司法常務官； (1998年第25號第2條；2000年第28號第47條)

“命令”(order)指審裁處的裁斷或命令，如屬上訴，則指法庭的裁斷或命令，並包括審裁官對經裁斷的款項所作出的分配； (1998年第25號第2條)

“審裁處”(tribunal) 指小額錢債審裁處；

“儲存金”(funds) 指現存或將存於司法常務官帳戶的款項。 (2000年第28號第47條) (1999年第21號第17條)

1. (1) 所有須繳存審裁處的儲存金，均須付給司法常務官。
2. 除情況另有所需外，司法常務官須將繳存予審裁處的任何儲存金存入庫務署署長所指示的

銀行帳戶(稱為小額錢債審裁處訴訟人儲存金帳戶)內，該帳戶可以是有息或無息的。 (2000年第28號第47條)

(1) 司法常務官須發收據給任何向審裁處繳存儲存金的人。 (2000年第28號第47條)

(2)根據本條所發出的收據，須盡量與本規則附表內的表格1相若，並須載有足以識別與該收據有關的繳存款項的詳情，以及有關下列情況的陳述(以適用者為準)─

(a)款項是代被告人(有關一方的姓名)繳存的，以清償上述的人(有關一方的姓名)所申索的款項；

(b) 款項是根據19 年 月 日作出的命令而繳存的；

(c) 款項是代(有關一方的姓名)繳存的，以存入訟費的保證金帳戶。

1. (1) 司法常務官須就所有繳存審裁處的儲存金及一切有關收支備存適當的帳目。
2. (2) 司法常務官根據本條所備存的任何帳目，均不得將利息記入貸方。

第 338D章 -小額錢債審裁處 (訴訟人儲存金 )規則

(2000年第28號第47條)

1. 繳存審裁處的儲存金，可按司法常務官的指示以支票或以現金支出，如用支票支出，該支票須由司法常務官不時以書面授權的2人簽署。 (1980年第344號法律公告；2000年第28號第47條)
2. 審裁處可在任何週日(星期六及公眾假期除外)在其辦事處支出款項，時間為上午10時至下午1時及下午2時至下午4時；星期六(公眾假期除外)則為上午10時至正午12時。

司法常務官如信納任何根據第6條有權從儲存金中收取款項的人已經去世，可將該筆儲存金(或在死者去世當日該筆儲存金中尚未付出的部分)按以下方法支出─

(a)司法常務官可將該筆儲存金付給死者的合法遺產代理人，如看來有任何上述遺產代理人已經去世，則可付給尚存的遺產代理人；

(b)司法常務官如覺得死者沒有立遺囑而其資產連該筆儲存金在內價值不超過$5000，而其遺產的管理權仍未獲批准，則司法常務官可將該筆儲存金支給理應優先獲得遺產管理權的人(即死者的配偶、子女、父母、兄弟或姊妹)，但該人須先按本規則附表內的表格2作出一項聲明。

(2000年第28號第47條)

司法常務官須將任何已記入小額錢債審裁處訴訟人儲存金帳戶的利息，於每一財政年度結束時或結束後，在切實可行範圍內盡早撥歸香港政府一般收入。 (2000年第28號第47條)

(1)凡有任何繳存審裁處的儲存金於繳付日期後5年仍無人認領，終審法院首席法官可應司法常務官的申請，指示將該筆儲存金撥歸香港政府一般收入。 (1983年第197號法律公告；2000年第28號第47條)

(2)終審法院首席法官根據第(1)款發出指示前，可指示將其認為需要的通知(如有的話)，按其

指示的方式給予其指示的人。 (1998年第25號第2條)

(1)司法常務官須每年就其根據第5條所備存的帳目，安排擬備一份截至該年3月31日為止的12個月帳目報表，而該帳目報表須─ (2000年第28號第47條)

(a) 包括收支表及資產負債報表；及

(b) 由高等法院司法常務官簽署。 (1998年第25號第2條)

(2) (由2000年第32號第23條廢除)

第 338D章 -小額錢債審裁處 (訴訟人儲存金 )規則

本人謹再聲明，死者的資產連上述款項在內總值不超過$5000，本人並證實 死者的臨終及殮葬費用已經清付；而的臨終及殮葬費用已經清付；而本人憑藉 《宣誓及聲明條例》(第11章)的條文衷誠作出此項鄭重聲明，並確信其為真實。

第 338D章 -小額錢債審裁處 (訴訟人儲存金 )規則

(申請人簽署) 此項聲明於19 年 月 日在 在本人面前作出。

(簽署)

公證人 或其他獲授權人員 (1997年第47號第10條)

第 338D章 -小額錢債審裁處 (訴訟人儲存金 )規則