Magistrates' Court (Hong Kong)

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Magistrates' Courts in Hong Kong are presided over by 'Permanent' and 'Special' Magistrates. Permanent Magistrates are professionally qualified. They come from barristers or solicitors. Special Magistrates need not be professionally qualified but can be appointed from persons with experience of the courts; they may have been court clerks, court interpreters or lay prosecutors.

Permanent Magistrates have criminal jurisdiction over a wide range of indictable and summary offences meriting up to 2 years of imprisonment and a fine of HK$100,000; a sentence of up to 3 years can be imposed in certain circumstances. Special Magistrates deal with very minor offences and cannot impose a prison sentence and are limited to a maximimum fine of HK$50,000.

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