Director of Legal Aid's First Charge

This only applies to legal aid cases funded under the Ordinary Legal Aid Scheme. If you are successful in recovering or preserving any money or property in the legally aided proceedings, you will be required to repay the Director all sums paid or payable on your behalf out of the money or property recovered or preserved (maintenance for children and maintenance for spouse up to the first HK$9,540 per month excepted). The sum liable to be paid will be reduced by the contribution you may have paid and any costs which may be recovered from the opposite party.

Where the property recovered is landed property, the Director's First Charge may be registered in the Land Registry against the property, without prior notice to you, as security for payment of the sum liable to be paid by you mentioned above.

For more information of the Director’s First Charge, you may refer to our booklet “Contribution towards Costs of Legal Aid Case and Director of Legal Aid’s First Charge”, or view our video “Liability for Costs and How Monies Recovered are Released”.