Hong Kong · civil procedure
What period applies to decree nisi appeal deadline?
28 days from pronouncement. Serve notice and lodge the sealed decree and specified copies with Registrar. The decree-nisi appeal is not an application to make the decree absolute.
- Period
- 28 days from pronouncement
- Trigger
- Pronouncement of the decree nisi
- Rule
- Rules of the High Court (Cap. 4A), Order 59, rule 16(2) and (3)
Official verified English consolidated chapter 4A, version October 1,2025. Acquired October 9, 2026, with the official current register and immutable verified PDF. Current verified official English consolidated chapter PDFs acquired October 9, 2026. Version dates retained per chapter register. No claim that a calendar proves future gale, black-rainstorm or emergency office closures.
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What period applies to decree nisi appeal deadline?
28 days from pronouncement. Serve notice and lodge the sealed decree and specified copies with Registrar. The decree-nisi appeal is not an application to make the decree absolute.
Responsible actor. Appellant against a divorce or nullity decree nisi.
Pronouncement of the decree nisi
28 days from pronouncement
Appellant against a divorce or nullity decree nisi. Matrimonial decree nisi; Actual pronouncement; Sealed decree and notice copies. Rule 16(3) makes timely lodging a competency condition. Rule 5’s ordinary post-service setting-down route is displaced.
Rules of the High Court (Cap. 4A), Order 59, rule 16(2) and (3)How does this provision count time?
- Serve notice and lodge the sealed decree and specified copies with Registrar
- Appellant against a divorce or nullity decree nisi uses the established pronouncement of the decree nisi. 28 days from pronouncement. Exclude the effective event day. Ordinary intervening weekends remain counted unless an applicable source provision excludes them. The ordinary illustration avoids an unresolved interaction between summer omission for procedural acts and the separate status boundary.
- Serve notice and lodge the sealed decree and specified copies with Registrar. An applicable Court-office completion may move under the exact final-day source only when the act cannot be done there. Establish the actual office route, closure and any different effective electronic route. The decree-nisi appeal is not an application to make the decree absolute.
- The decree-nisi appeal is not an application to make the decree absolute.
Appellant against a divorce or nullity decree nisi uses the established pronouncement of the decree nisi. 28 days from pronouncement. Exclude the effective event day. Ordinary intervening weekends remain counted unless an applicable source provision excludes them. The ordinary illustration avoids an unresolved interaction between summer omission for procedural acts and the separate status boundary.
Serve notice and lodge the sealed decree and specified copies with Registrar. An applicable Court-office completion may move under the exact final-day source only when the act cannot be done there. Establish the actual office route, closure and any different effective electronic route. The decree-nisi appeal is not an application to make the decree absolute.
Rules of the High Court (Cap. 4A), Order 59, rule 16(2) and (3)What do independently checked examples show?
Fictitious example
Appellant against a divorce or nullity decree nisi. Pronouncement of the decree nisi occurs on Friday, October 9, 2026. The retained eligibility and ordinary procedural conditions apply. Actual Decree Pronounced Friday, October 9, 2026. Actual Appeal Notice Served Friday, October 9, 2026. No Summer Crossing true. Ordinary Branch Does Not Cross Summer Vacation true.
| Step | What is counted | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Example 1. Ordinary established facts | Appellant against a divorce or nullity decree nisi. Pronouncement of the decree nisi occurs on Friday, October 9, 2026. The retained eligibility and ordinary procedural conditions apply. Actual Decree Pronounced Friday, October 9, 2026. Actual Appeal Notice Served Friday, October 9, 2026. No Summer Crossing true. Ordinary Branch Does Not Cross Summer Vacation true. 28 days from pronouncement. The decree-nisi appeal is not an application to make the decree absolute. | Friday, November 6, 2026 |
| Example 2. Closed-day boundary | Appellant against a divorce or nullity decree nisi. Pronouncement of the decree nisi occurs on Monday, September 21, 2026. The retained eligibility and ordinary procedural conditions apply. Actual Decree Pronounced Monday, September 21, 2026. Actual Appeal Notice Served Monday, September 21, 2026. No Summer Crossing true. Ordinary Branch Does Not Cross Summer Vacation true. 28 days from pronouncement. The decree-nisi appeal is not an application to make the decree absolute. | Tuesday, October 20, 2026 |
| Example 3. Material procedural branch | Appellant against a divorce or nullity decree nisi. Pronouncement of the decree nisi occurs on Friday, October 9, 2026. The complete eligibility and procedural facts are not established. Actual Decree Pronounced not established. Actual Appeal Notice Served not established. No Summer Crossing not established. Ordinary Branch Does Not Cross Summer Vacation not established. This actual branch must be established independently before any ordinary endpoint can be used. Matrimonial decree nisi | Rule 16(3) makes timely lodging a competency condition. Rule 5’s ordinary post-service setting-down route is displaced. |
Fictitious established facts. These examples do not establish eligibility, effective service, relief or a direction.
Try these dates in the calculatorWhich conditions and exceptions apply?
- Matrimonial decree nisi
- Matrimonial decree nisi
- Actual pronouncement
- Actual pronouncement
- Sealed decree and notice copies
- Sealed decree and notice copies
- Correct source counting and completion route
- Appellant against a divorce or nullity decree nisi uses the established pronouncement of the decree nisi. 28 days from pronouncement. Exclude the effective event day. Ordinary intervening weekends remain counted unless an applicable source provision excludes them. The ordinary illustration avoids an unresolved interaction between summer omission for procedural acts and the separate status boundary. Serve notice and lodge the sealed decree and specified copies with Registrar. An applicable Court-office completion may move under the exact final-day source only when the act cannot be done there. Establish the actual office route, closure and any different effective electronic route. The decree-nisi appeal is not an application to make the decree absolute.
- Appellant against a divorce or nullity decree nisi. Matrimonial decree nisi; Actual pronouncement; Sealed decree and notice copies. Rule 16(3) makes timely lodging a competency condition. Rule 5’s ordinary post-service setting-down route is displaced.
- Rule 16(3) makes timely lodging a competency condition. Rule 5’s ordinary post-service setting-down route is displaced.
What must the responsible actor complete?
Questions about this procedure
What period applies to decree nisi appeal deadline?
Does written decree receipt start appeal time?
Rule 16(2) calculates twenty-eight days from pronouncement.
Rules of the High Court (Cap. 4A), Order 59, rule 16(2) and (3)Is ordinary setting down seven days after notice enough?
No. Rule 16(3) and (4) require lodging specified copies within the same twenty-eight-day period.
Rules of the High Court (Cap. 4A), Order 59, rule 16(2) and (3)What must be lodged?
A sealed decree, a copy and two notice-of-appeal copies with fee and service endorsements.
Rules of the High Court (Cap. 4A), Order 59, rule 16(2) and (3)Does omission of that lodging matter?
Paragraph (3) says the appeal is not competent unless complied with.
Rules of the High Court (Cap. 4A), Order 59, rule 16(2) and (3)What notice precedes an ex-parte extension request?
Paragraph (5) requires notice to the appropriate Registrar before the extension application.
Rules of the High Court (Cap. 4A), Order 59, rule 16(2) and (3)Is this the decree-absolute timetable?
No. It concerns an appeal against the decree nisi of divorce or nullity.
Rules of the High Court (Cap. 4A), Order 59, rule 16(2) and (3)Official sources and review
Provisions used (5)
| Provision | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Rules of the High Court (Cap. 4A), Order 59, rule 16(2) and (3) | Check the identified procedure, event, counting rule or qualification |
| Rules of the High Court (Cap.4A), Order3 rules1–5 and Order64 rule1 | Check the identified procedure, event, counting rule or qualification |
| High Court Ordinance (Cap.4), section31(1), including its endorsed-writ proviso | Check the identified procedure, event, counting rule or qualification |
| Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance (Cap.1), section71(1)–(2) | Check the identified procedure, event, counting rule or qualification |
| General Holidays Ordinance (Cap.149), section3 and Schedule | Check the identified procedure, event, counting rule or qualification |