法律援助署五十周年紀念特刊 | Legal Aid Department 50th Anniversary Commemorative Publication

P.54 法律援助條例和規例及刑事案件法律援助規則的修訂 Amendments of Legal Aid Ordinance and Regulations as well as Legal Aid in Criminal Cases Rules 1989 and 1991, the SLAS was extended to personal injury and fatal accident cases in the District Court where damages recoverable in proceedings may exceed HK$60,000, as well as employees’ compensation claims irrespective of the amount claimed. Entering the 21st century, the Legal Aid Department continued to revise various legal aid rules. In 2006, the Legal Aid (Assessment of Resources and Contributions)(Amendment) Regulation 2005 was implemented, which allows legal aid applicants when calculating means to deduct maintenance payment and to claim care allowances for employing a carer to look after dependants unable to care for themselves while the applicants are at work. In the same year, the Legal Aid (Charge on Property) (Rate of Interest) Regulation came into operation to allow first charge interest rate to vary annually according to market movement. This works in favour of the aided persons with property recovered through the assistance of legal aid as they will be charged an annual interest rate lower than the previously fixed interest rate of 10% per annum and that charged by commercial banking institutions. The Department has been expanding its scope of service. The implementation of the Legal Aid (Amendment) Ordinance 2012 allows the scope of the SLAS to cover representation for employees in appeals against awards made by Labour Tribunal, irrespective of the amount in dispute, as well as negligence claims exceeding HK$60,000 against eight types of professionals, insurers or their intermediaries in respect of the taking out of personal insurance products, and the vendors in the sale of first-hand residential properties. In 2018, new financial resources bandwidths and contribution rates for legal aid were introduced. These measures help to reduce financial burden of aided persons, so that more people are able to enjoy legal aid services. Upon the implementation of the Legal Aid in Criminal Cases Rules 1969 on 1st January 1970, the Director of Legal Aid took over the administration of legal aid in criminal cases. Criminal legal aid became available for trials before the Supreme Court, criminal appeals from the Supreme Court and District Court, and magistracy appeals (except where the accused pleaded guilty). In 1973, criminal legal aid was extended to District Court trials where charge carried a possible sentence of 14 years’ imprisonment (such as robbery cases but not covering less serious cases including theft), which at that time meant about 75% of the cases tried in the District Court. The Supplementary Legal Aid Scheme (SLAS) came into operation on 1st October 1984. With the enactment of the Legal Aid (Amendment) Ordinance in 加強法援服務 配合香港發展 Legal Aid Services Enhancements Making Strides Alongside Hong Kong’s Development 《1969年刑事案件法律援助規則》於1970年1月1日實施。 刑事案件的法律援助事宜自始由法律援助署署長負責，刑事法 律援助適用於最高法院的審訊、最高法院和地方法院的刑事上 訴，以及裁判司署的上訴（被告認罪除外）。1973年，刑事法 律援助擴大至地方法院可被判處14年徒刑的審訊（例如搶劫案， 但不包括盜竊等較輕的罪行），這類案件約佔當時地方法院 審訊案件總數的7 5％。法律援助輔助計劃（輔助計劃） 於1984年10月1日開始實施。隨着於1989年及1991年的《法律 援助（修訂）條例》實施，輔助計劃擴大至涵蓋於地方法院提 超過港幣六萬元的申索。 踏入二十一世紀，法援署繼續修訂不同 的法律援助規例。《2005年法律援助 （評定資源及分擔費用）（修訂）規例》 於2006年實施，容許法援申請人在計算其 經濟能力時，可扣減須支付的贍養費， 以及其在工作期間須僱用他人照顧未能 出，賠償額有可能超過港幣六萬元的人 身傷亡申索，以及不論索償額的僱員補 償申索。自1995年，輔助計劃更擴大至 涵蓋地方法院或以上各級法院提出因醫 療、牙科或法律專業疏忽而賠償額可能 自理的受養人的開支。同年，法援署亦按《法律援助（財產的 押記）（利率）規例》，容許第一押記的利率隨每年的市場走勢 作出調整，新的計算程式有利於透過法援討回財產的受助人， 因為他們所需負擔的年息率會比之前的固定年息率10％及商業 銀行所收取的年息率為低。 法援署一直不斷擴大援助範圍。《2012年法律援助（修訂）條 例》的實施，把輔助計劃的範圍大幅擴大：為不服勞資審裁處 所作的裁決（不論爭議金額多少）的僱員提供法律代表；在區 域法院或以上各級法院提出，索償額可能超過港幣六萬元的下 列訟案，包括就八類專業疏忽的申索；保險人或其中介人在銷 售個人保險產品時涉及疏忽的申索；以及就售賣一手住宅物業 向賣方提出的金錢申索。法援署亦於2018年推出新訂的法律援 助財務資源組別及分擔費比率，以減輕受助人的財務負擔，讓 更多市民能夠獲得法援服務。 法援服務、關愛惠民 Legal Aid for the People