Official Languages (Translation) Rules
(Enacting provision omitted—E.R. 7 of 2020)
[18 October 1996]
(Format changes—E.R. 7 of 2020)
If a court indicates that it intends to conduct a trial, or a part of a trial, in the Chinese language, any document that is written in the English language that is to be admitted in evidence must be accompanied by a certified translation in the Chinese language.
If a court indicates that it intends to conduct a trial, or a part of a trial, in the English language, any document that is written in the Chinese language that is to be admitted in evidence must be accompanied by a certified translation in the English language.
The court may at any time dispense with the need for a translation of a document from one official language to the other official language.
These Rules apply to both civil and criminal proceedings in all judicial proceedings to which the Ordinance applies.
The Chief Justice may appoint in writing any person to make and to certify, for the purposes of these Rules, translations of documents from one official language to the other official language.
A person appointed under subrule (1) may certify a translation of a document written in one of the official languages even though he did not make the translation.
A court must admit in evidence a translation to an official language of the whole or any part of a document in the other official language which has been admitted in evidence in civil or criminal proceedings before it if the translation is certified by a person appointed under subrule (1) as an accurate translation.
The translation must be admitted on its production without further proof. The court must presume in the absence of evidence to the contrary—
the signature on the document of the person certifying is genuine;
the person certifying was appointed under subrule (1) at the time of certifying the document;
the document is an accurate translation of the whole or part of the document to which it purports to refer.
The court may, if it thinks fit, on its own motion or on the application of a party to the proceedings, summons the person who certified the translation of a document produced and admitted in evidence under this rule and examine him on the subject matter of the translation of the document.