Who considers more serious criminal cases (excl. very serious offences such as murder, manslaughter, rape) and civil cases involving disputes up to HK$3M?

• A. District Court
• B. Magistrates' Courts
• C. Court of Appeal
• D. High Court

Answer: (B)

Understanding the Hong Kong court hierarchy and how criminal seriousness and civil claim size map to different courts is the key idea. The District Court handles criminal cases that are more serious than those dealt with in the Magistrates’ Court but not among the very gravest offences such as murder or rape. It also has civil jurisdiction for disputes up to HK$3 million. That combination fits the description in the question exactly. By contrast, the Magistrates’ Court deals with the least serious offences and some minor civil matters, the High Court handles the most serious criminal cases and civil claims above the District Court’s limit, and the Court of Appeal handles appeals rather than trials.