Read the full judgment text of FAMV14/2015 on BabelCite. This Court of Final Appeal judgment was delivered on 4 May 2015 before Mr Justice Tang PJ.
Civil procedure – security for costs – variation of amount – statutory maximum – Court of Final Appeal – s 25(3)(b) Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal Ordinance – business transactions – guarantor – trial of 9 days – multiple submissions on costs – Court of Appeal substantially reduced award – costs orders nisi altered in favour of applicants – each applicant ordered to provide $400,000 security – application to single judge to vary amounts – whether fact that appeals heard together and one set of costs expected is decisive – held: not decisive – maximum security does not represent likely costs – amount within court's discretion – Court of Appeal could order maximum in each appeal – proceedings complex – $800,000 unlikely adequate – but for statutory ceiling more would have been ordered – no reason to reduce – application refused – costs order nisi.
Legal issues: Variation of security for costs ordered by Court of Appeal
Outcome: Application to vary security for costs refused.