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The following is issued on behalf of the Judiciary:
The Chief Justice, Mr Geoffrey Ma Tao-li, today (March 28) welcomed the acceptance by the Chief Executive of the recommendation of the Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission on the appointment of the Right Honourable the Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers, President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, as a non-permanent judge from another common law jurisdiction of the Court of Final Appeal. The Chief Justice noted that the Administration would be seeking the endorsement of the Legislative Council of the recommended appointment.
The Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal Ordinance (Cap. 484) provides for a list of non-permanent Hong Kong judges and a list of judges from other common law jurisdictions. Currently, there are six non-permanent Hong Kong judges and 13 non-permanent common law judges. The maximum number of non-permanent judges is 30. In hearing and determining an appeal, the Court of Final Appeal is constituted by five judges, i.e. the Chief Justice, three permanent judges and one non-permanent Hong Kong judge or one non-permanent common law judge.
Lord Phillips will be retiring as President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom at the end of September 2012. The appointment of Lord Phillips to the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal with effect from October 2012 will increase the number of non-permanent judges from other common law jurisdictions from 13 to 14 and will provide greater flexibility for dealing with the caseload of the Court of Final Appeal.
Ends/Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Issued at HKT 15:46
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