1.1 During the year under review, the Duty Lawyer Scheme had represented 22,546 defendants charged with criminal offences in the Magistrates’ Courts, representing a decrease of 5.04% over the previous year. The number of subjects represented in Care or Protection Proceedings in the Juvenile Courts was 189 representing a decrease of 6.9%. The Convention Against Torture (CAT) & Non-refoulement Claims Scheme had handled 2,884 claims representing a decrease of 14.1% over the previous year. The Free Legal Advice Scheme had the pro bono service of 832 volunteer lawyers at nine evening centers advising 6,953 persons representing an increase of 8.69% over the previous year. The Tel Law Scheme had recorded a total of 16,439 calls representing a decrease of 7.32% over the previous year. The Service’s website had recorded 396,886 hits, representing a decrease of 7.05% over the previous year.

Further Expansion of the Duty Lawyer Scheme

1.2 With effect from 3 December 2018, the Duty Lawyer Scheme has been extended to cover contempt proceedings in the Labour Tribunal (s.42 of the Labour Tribunal Ordinance Cap.25) and Small Claims Tribunal (s.35A of the Small Claims Tribunal Ordinance Cap.338). So far no such case in these Tribunals has been referred to the Scheme.