London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Jul 23, 2025

Less colonial: Hong Kong judiciary says British judge to step down from city's top court

Less colonial: Hong Kong judiciary says British judge to step down from city's top court

British judge Brenda Hale will step down from Hong Kong's Court of Final Appeal next month when her three-year term expires, the judiciary said on Friday, a move that may deepen uncertainty over the role of foreign judges in the semi-autonomous city.
The departure of Hale, a former president of Britain's Supreme Court, comes amid international concern over the effect on the city of a national security law imposed by China's parliament a year ago.

Diplomats and businesspeople say the law's impact on Hong Kong's independent judges and separate legal system is being particularly closely watched given their importance to its status as a global financial hub.

Hale is one of 13 overseas non-permanent judges on the top court - a presence that has long been seen as a symbol of the rule of law after Britain handed the former colony back to China in 1997.

The Hong Kong Judiciary said in a statement that Hale "has

indicated to the Judiciary that for personal reasons she would not wish to have her appointment" extended for another term.

Overseas judges' "immense contribution to Hong Kong has repeatedly been acknowledged", the Judiciary said.

Hale, 76, was quoted in London's The Times newspaper on Friday as telling an online forum that the security law - imposed by China's parliament last June - had left "all sorts of question marks up in the air".

"The jury is still out on how they will be able to operate the national security law," she was quoted as saying. She said her main reason for quitting was COVID-19 travel restrictions that meant she could not travel easily to Hong Kong.

Hale could not immediately be reached for comment.

The security law gives Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam the power to select judges for a roster of jurists that will handle national security cases.

In the most serious cases suspects can also be taken to mainland China for trial while law also grants extensive powers to personnel from Beijing's security apparatus, who are now based in the city for the first time.

The current president of Britain's Supreme Court, Robert Reed, is also on the Court of Final Appeal and has met British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab to discuss the situation under the new law.

Reed told a House of Lords' panel in March he would not be prepared to serve or nominate any of his judges to serve if there was "any undermining of the independence of the Hong Kong judiciary".

Local lawyers monitoring the situation said on Friday that Hale would ordinarily be expected to continue, so her looming departure was a blow to the system.

Australian judge James Spigelman resigned last September, citing the law in a comment to Australia's national broadcaster. Other foreign judges have since extended their terms or joined the court.

Lam appointed Hale in 2018 together with former Canadian Chief Justice Beverly McLachlin as the first women to serve on the top court.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
×