Hong Kong's first Technology Court will be in service next month facilitating proceedings and enhancing service efficiency.

With an area of about 200 square metres in the High Court building, the Technology Court is equipped with state-of-the-art user-friendly technologies. Fifty-five seats are provided in the public gallery.

Clever court: Court users and the legal profession can now take advantage of hi-tech courtroom facilities, including a touch-screen LCD monitor for on-screen annotation (left), personal computers and projection screens for presentation of evidence (centre), as well as a closed-circuit television system for vulnerable witnesses (right).

Chief Justice Andrew Li said the court can meet the changing needs of judicial services, benefiting both the legal profession and other court users.

With the provision of video conferencing facilities, not all witnesses are required to be in court to give evidence. It also provides a more convenient and less expensive option for taking evidence from overseas witnesses.

The court also allows the examination of vulnerable witnesses via a closed-circuit television system.

For reporters, they can make use of the facilities inside the court for transmitting information via laptop computers, subject to approval of the presiding judge.

Other features include:

* Multimedia platforms for presentation of evidence;

* An electronic documentation and exhibit handling system;

* An enhanced interpretation system;

* A real-time court reporting and transcription services connecting network; and,

* A digital audio recording and transcription services system.

The court, at a construction cost of about $9 million, will be available for general use in suitable cases from April 7. 

Further information can be obtained from the Judiciary's website.