High Court judge Wilson Chan retires early after repeated plagiarism

High Court judge Wilson Chan Ka-shun will take early retirement at the request of Chief Justice Andrew Cheung Kui-nung following repeated cases of judicial plagiarism. The retirement will take effect this Friday, July 31.

The departure comes amid mounting public concern over the 64-year-old judge, who was found to have committed plagiarism in his judgments at least five times in recent years. According to sources, Chan was involved in as many as eight cases of judicial copying, one of which occurred even after Cheung had issued him a serious reprimand.

In a statement on Monday, the city's top judge stressed that independent judicial thinking is crucial in resolving disputes in court, a quality that is typically demonstrated through the judgments and reasons a judge writes.

Judicial plagiarism strikes at the core of the fundamental requirements for judges, with Cheung calling the behaviour "totally unacceptable."

Acknowledging the public's concerns over Chan's repeated infractions, Cheung said he had formally requested Chan to retire early on Monday and approved his application accordingly.

Although the incidents involved only one judge, Cheung expressed hope that this would serve as a reminder to all members of the judiciary to avoid plagiarism, adding that training on judgment writing would be strengthened if necessary. He concluded his statement by expressing full confidence that judges and judicial officers at all levels will continue to uphold the Judicial Oath and perform their duties diligently, independently, and professionally.

Legal sector responds

In response to the Judiciary's statement, the Hong Kong Bar Association (HKBA) reaffirmed its strong support for the city’s independent courts, noting that well-reasoned, published judgments are essential for upholding public confidence in the legal system.

While acknowledging the heavy burdens placed on judges due to a persistent shortage of manpower and growing case complexity, the HKBA warned that "excessive judicial copying" could lead the public to doubt whether a judge has independently considered the facts.

Such practices, the association noted, may result in retrials that impose unfair burdens on involved parties and waste judicial resources, which is at odds with societal expectations.

The HKBA stressed that the Judiciary must be afforded the time and space to address internal operational issues fairly and without external interference. The association also reiterated its call for the government to allocate additional resources to the courts to meet ever-increasing demands.

Meanwhile, in an interview with Sing Tao Daily, the sister publication of The Standard, veteran barrister Ronny Tong Ka-wah said the early retirement decision provided public accountability, especially since Chan had previously been reprimanded and promised to change.

Tong added that negative public comments regarding the incidents reflect high societal expectations of the judiciary's integrity, stressing the importance of upholding judicial dignity. He believes the incident will prompt deep reflection among other judges and judicial officers.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓