Hong Kong judges have developed some rules to control the activities of vexatious litigants on the basis of common law, said the Permanent Judge of the Court of Final Appeal Friday (May 20).

Vexatious litigants are people who persistently abuse the court's process, misusing its procedures for improper purposes or in an oppressive manner and without any viable legal basis. Legislative changes were recommended by the Chief Justice's Working Party on Civil Justice Reform to address the problem. The courts now have power to make orders restricting the ability of abusive litigants to issue further applications or to commence fresh actions to re-litigate cases that have already been concluded.

Editor: Yan