District Court (Hong Kong)

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The District Courts (Chinese: 區域法院, 地方法院 before 1997) are the lower court system in Hong Kong, have both criminal and civil jurisdictions. The system is modelled after the English legal system, with indictable offences being taken up by the district court if at the hearing in the magistrate's court a criminal defendant elects for a jury trial.

The District Courts hear all serious cases except murder, manslaughter and rape, and can impose a sentence of up to seven years. Cases are heard in either the Chinese or English languages, at the sole discretion of the trial judge.