Prohibition Orders

A prohibition order is a powerful tool in the enforcement of judgments. It enables a judgment creditor to prevent a judgment debtor from leaving Hong Kong for the purpose of facilitating the enforcement of a judgment against the judgment debtor. In appropriate circumstances, a creditor who has yet to obtain a judgment may still obtain a prohibition order to ensure that a likely future judgment against a debtor does not go unsatisfied because of the debtor leaving Hong Kong.

Statutory Authority

Hong Kong courts have the authority to issue prohibition orders under the High Court Ordinance, s. 21B, which provides that:

The Court shall have jurisdiction to make an order prohibiting a person from leaving Hong Kong (a prohibition order) to facilitate the enforcement, securing or pursuant of: