| Popis: |
This article discusses the importance of free access to essential legal information to the rule of law and the role of Legal Information Institutes (LIIs) in providing such access. The main features of the new Hong Kong Legal Information Institute (HKLII) and its differences from pre-existing systems are described. HKLII is the first LII in Asia: a LII is a free, independent, non-profit Internet facility providing relatively comprehensive coverage of the essential legal information of a jurisdiction, in this case Hong Kong. This article describes HKLII's first year (July 2001-July 2002), from the initial discussions on its possible creation to the installation of its own server in Hong Kong. It explains that the development of HKLII has been made possible by the policies of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and judiciary, which support access to legal information. The future development of HKLII and its potential impact on free access to legal information elsewhere in China and other jurisdictions in Asia is discussed. |
