Hong Kong Case Law: Decisions & Judgments

Topic

Costs of proceedings

Legal area

Court

4 May 2026

ARORA TANYA v. SOJOBI ADEBAYO OLATUNBOSUN

Citation

[2026] HKLdT 28
Court

Lands Tribunal
Case number

LDPD174/2026

The Tribunal found the Applicant had a valid cause of action under the tenancy agreement due to the Respondent's rent default, the Respondent failed to prove a binding agreement to delay payment, the costs sought represented filing fees of $365 and were reasonable, and no error of law was shown such that the proposed appeal had no reasonable prospect of success; therefore leave to appeal was dismissed.
21 Jul 2025

CHIANG KIN YAU, a mentally incapacitated person by his next friend, namely Cheng Hong Kei, being the Committee of his Estate appointed by the Court under Part II of the Mental Health Ordinance pursuant to the Order made by Deputy High Court Judge S.T. Poon dated 6th February 2017 v. CHUI KAI YEUNG

Citation

[2025] HKCFI 3096
Court

Court of First Instance
Case number

HCPI899/2017

Although the plaintiff obtained the relief sought (leave to file the two supplemental witness statements), the plaintiff unreasonably failed to accept the defendant's November 2023 composite offer which would have avoided contested proceedings; the defendant's substantive opposition at the hearing was untenable; balancing these factors, the appropriate exercise of discretion is to order that costs of preparing the supplemental witness statements be in the cause and that the costs of the witness statement summons be the plaintiff's costs in the cause (with certificate for two counsel), while a…
14 Jan 2025

RE a mentally incapacitated person CKY

Citation

[2025] HKCFI 393
Court

Court of First Instance
Case number

HCMH41/2024

The court held that a Guardianship Order does not substitute for a Part II order and that solicitors have a duty to advise and, on a fair assessment, a Part II application should have been brought; consequently the existing conclusion of no order as to costs is confirmed and the solicitors' undertaking not to charge the Applicant for unrecovered costs stands.
4 Nov 2024

WESOFT NATIONMARK LTD v. NATIONMARK (H.K.) LTD AND OTHERS

Citation

[2024] HKCFI 3016
Court

Court of First Instance
Case number

HCA1317/2019

The court exercised its costs discretion to order the plaintiff to pay one third of the costs incurred by the 1st to 3rd defendants in opposing the Request for Further and Better Particulars and to pay the costs of the appeal to the 1st to 3rd defendants, and summarily assessed the quantum at HK$25,000 for the opposition and HK$34,000 for the appeal costs.
7 Dec 2023

YUEN LING HOI v. YUEN KWAI CHUN, the Executrix of the estate of WONG LAI CHING, deceased AND ANOTHER

Citation

[2023] HKCFI 3182
Court

Court of First Instance
Case number

HCMP95/2022

The court held that the earlier Order had already disposed of costs for the relief identified in paragraphs 8(1) and 8(2) and that the remaining issue was the Outstanding Costs relating to the Default Relief, which the court directed should be determined on paper.
16 Dec 2021

上海船厂船舶有限公司 (also known as SHANGHAI SHIPYARD CO. LTD) v. REIGNWOOD INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT (GROUP) CO LTD

Citation

[2021] HKCFI 3794
Court

Court of First Instance
Case number

HCCW340/2021

The petitioner was entitled to present the winding-up petition and was not acting unreasonably; permission to appeal does not, by itself, establish a bona fide dispute on substantial grounds sufficient to defeat a petition based on an unsatisfied judgment; the UKSC stay orders were conditional and did not take effect until the Company complied with the condition; because the petition would have succeeded but for the Company's provision of full security, the Company must pay the petitioner's costs to be assessed gross as well as the Official Receiver's costs of HK$6,500.
7 Jun 2021

CHOW KWAN YEE v. LEUNG MEI YIN MAY AND ANOTHER

Citation

[2021] HKCA 832
Court

Court of Appeal
Case number

CACV20/2020

A successful defendant is prima facie entitled to costs, but if he unsuccessfully advanced a significant allegation that materially increased the costs of the proceedings the court may reduce his costs award; applying that principle, the court reduced the 2nd defendant's costs below from 40% to 20%, retained the 1st defendant's 40% apportionment below and upheld no order as to costs between the plaintiff and the 2nd defendant on the appeal.
4 Jun 2021

香港特別行政區訴蔡少芬

Citation

[2021] HKDC 716
Court

District Court
Case number

DCCC679/2020

Although acquitted defendants are ordinarily entitled to costs, the judge exercised the statutory discretion to refuse costs because the defendant gave a demonstrable false account in a recorded interview that created self-invited suspicion directly related to the charge, which justified denying the costs application.
24 Aug 2020

香港特別行政區訴陳財發

Citation

[2020] HKDC 1164
Court

District Court
Case number

DCCC410/2019

Costs for counts 3–8 were refused because the defendant's mixing of personal, corporate and cross‑border accounts and inconsistent explanations invited suspicion and his conduct was self‑serving; the conviction on count 2 was closely connected to the other counts, justifying denial of costs.
29 Apr 2020

COMPETITION COMMISSION v. W. HING CONSTRUCTION CO LTD AND OTHERS

Citation

[2020] HKCT 1
Court

Competition Tribunal
Case number

CTEA2/2017

The Tribunal adopts a structured four-step methodology: (1) determine Base Amount = Value of Sales related to the contravention * Gravity Percentage (24% applied) * Duration Multiplier (1); (2) adjust for aggravating/mitigating/other factors (including limited reductions for subcontractor/nominal participants); (3) apply statutory cap under s93(3) as a backstop; (4) apply cooperation reduction and consider inability to pay (after cap). Applying that method the Tribunal set the specified penalties for each respondent and ordered costs on civil principles (party and party, equal shares with 20%…