Law Relating to Contribution between Wrongdoers
(HKLRC Report)
The Commission examined in this report (published in 1984) whether the law relating to contribution between wrongdoers should be changed.
The Commission found that in certain circumstances where a person suffers harm as a result of the actions of others, the injured party may not be able to recover damages from all those responsible. There are also circumstances where one of the wrongdoers is liable to pay all the damages for the harm suffered by the injured party without being able to claim a contribution from other persons who might also be held responsible for that harm.
The Commission therefore concluded that the right to contribution should be available whenever two or more persons are liable in respect of the same damage, and whether the damage arose from a tort, a breach of contract, a breach of trust or otherwise. It recommended that any reform of the law in this area should be along the lines of the Civil Liability (Contribution) Act 1978 in the United Kingdom.
In 1984, the report's recommendations were implemented by the Civil Liability (Contribution) Ordinance.
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