The High Court is handling a family property battle in Chinese languages only, writing another historical footnote to the approaching end of British rule over Hong Kong.
Court cases have traditionally been heard in English, with translation into Cantonese. But magistrates' courts have recently begun hearing Chinese-only cases.The High Court was not supposed to change the language rules until January 1997, but made an exception for Sun Er-jo, because she is 90 and speaks only Mandarin.
Her suit accusing her sons of misusing her savings opened Tuesday in Cantonese, with translation into Mandarin, Sun's mother tongue. The case is continuing.
Under the terms of China's takeover, English will continue to be acceptable in the courts after 1997 if the case merits it.
"Our aim is to put in place arrangements to give an option to those people who think justice is best served by the use of Chinese in their cases," a judiciary statement said.