The Department of Justice today launched a public consultation to seek views on the proposed bill and rules for the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of Mainland judgments in matrimonial and family cases.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the Supreme People's Court signed the Arrangement on Reciprocal Recognition & Enforcement of Civil Judgments in Matrimonial & Family Cases by the Courts of the Mainland & of the HKSAR in 2017.

The arrangement will provide better safeguards to families, in particular, parties to cross-boundary marriages and their children, the department said.

It will be implemented in Hong Kong by legislation. The department has prepared the draft bill and rules for public consultation.

The draft bill seeks to establish mechanisms in Hong Kong for registration of specified orders contained in a Mainland judgment given in a matrimonial or family case, application for recognition in Hong Kong of a Mainland divorce certificate, and certification by a Hong Kong court of a Hong Kong judgment for the purpose of seeking recognition and enforcement of the judgment in the Mainland.

The draft rules lay down the practice and procedures relating to the applications made to a Hong Kong court under the bill.

People can submit views by March 8 via mail, fax or email.

Click here for the consultation paper.