Chief Justice Andrew Cheung welcomed the Chief Executive's acceptance of a recommendation to appoint retired New Zealand Supreme Court judge Sir Terence Arnold as a non-permanent judge of the Court of Final Appeal.
The recommendation was submitted by the Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission, with the government set to seek the formal endorsement of the Legislative Council before the appointment is made under the Basic Law and the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal Ordinance.
The appointment of Sir Terence will increase the number of non-permanent judges from other common law jurisdictions sitting on the top court from five to six, providing greater operational flexibility in managing the appellate court's case calendar.
Under the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal Ordinance, the court maintains rosters for both local non-permanent judges and those from overseas common law jurisdictions, capped at a combined statutory ceiling of 30 judges.
With the latest addition, the overseas contingent will comprise six distinguished jurists from New Zealand, Australia, and the United Kingdom, serving alongside four local non-permanent judges.
Substantive appeals before the Court of Final Appeal are heard and decided by a five-member panel comprising the Chief Justice, three permanent judges, and one non-permanent judge selected from either the local or overseas rosters.
Sir Terence, who served as Solicitor-General of New Zealand before sitting on the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of New Zealand until his retirement from the permanent bench in 2017, brings decades of senior common law judicial experience to the territory.
Judicial authorities noted that his inclusion on the bench strengthens the court's international standing and helps ensure the efficient handling of complex final appeals.
