In a significant development, the Judiciary of Hong Kong has confirmed that two non-permanent judges from other common law jurisdictions of the Court of Final Appeal have tendered their resignations.
The two judges in question are Jonathan Sumption and Lawrence Collins, both former justices of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. Sumption served on the UK's highest court from 2012 until his retirement in 2018, while Collins was appointed to the UK Court of Appeal in 2007 and then became a Supreme Court justice in 2009, serving until reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70 in 2011.
The Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal Ordinance allows for the appointment of non-permanent judges from other common law legal systems, with these judges serving three-year terms. Sumption and Collins were appointed to the Hong Kong court in 2019 and 2011 respectively.
Chief Justice Andrew Cheung expressed regret over the resignations of Sumption and Collins, acknowledging the valuable contributions made by the overseas non-permanent judges to the court's work over the years. Cheung noted that two other non-permanent judges from abroad were appointed just last year and in May 2023, and assured that suitable candidates from other common law jurisdictions will continue to be appointed to the Court of Final Appeal.
Currently, the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal has 4 local non-permanent judges and 8 non-permanent judges from other common law legal systems. The Chief Justice stated that the court will continue to fully perform its constitutional role as the final appellate court in Hong Kong, with the change in court membership not expected to impact its operations.
兩名英國法官辭任香港終審法院
在一項重大發展中,香港司法機構已確認,來自其他普通法司法管轄區的終審法院非常設法官已提出辭職。
這兩名法官是喬納森·薩普申(Jonathan Sumption)和勞倫斯·科林斯(Lawrence Collins),他們都是英國最高法院的前法官。薩普申於2012年至2018年間任職於英國最高法院,而科林斯則於2007年被任命為英國上訴法院法官,並於2009年成為英國最高法院法官,直至2011年70歲退休年齡。
香港終審法院條例允許從其他普通法司法管轄區任命非常設法官,這些法官任期為三年。薩普申和科林斯分別在2019年和2011年被任命加入香港終審法院。
終審法院首席法官陳錦鴻對薩普申和科林斯的辭職表示遺憾,並承認這些來自海外的非常設法官多年來為法院工作作出了寶貴貢獻。陳表示,去年和2023年5月又有兩名來自其他普通法司法管轄區的非常設法官獲委任,並保證將繼續從其他普通法司法管轄區任命合適的候選人擔任香港終審法院的非常設法官。
目前,香港終審法院有4名本地非常設法官和8名來自其他普通法司法管轄區的非常設法官。首席法官表示,法院將繼續充分履行其作為香港最終上訴法院的憲制角色,法官成員的變動預計不會影響其運作。
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