HKFP
High Court Judge Wilson Chan tendered his retirement at the request of Chief Justice Andrew Cheung. It will come into effect on Friday, the judiciary said on Monday.
Chan, 64, received a “serious reprimand” last week for committing plagiarism in his judgement in a 2024 trial over a company shares dispute. It was at least his fifth established instance of “judicial copying” since 2023.
In a statement on Monday, Chief Justice Cheung said “judicial copying strikes at the very core” of the fundamental requirement for judges to adjudicate cases independently.
“A judge must exercise an independent judicial mind in carefully considering and resolving the issues raised and in determining the disputes before the court,” Cheung said.
“The exercise of independent judicial judgment, which lies at the heart of the adjudicative process, is principally reflected in the reasons and judgments delivered by the judge,” he added.
Cheung said Chan’s instances of plagiarism had led to a number of appeals and orders for retrial, straining the court’s resources and undermining public confidence in the judiciary.
He warned judges at all levels of Hong Kong’s courts to avoid any form of judicial copying, adding that training in judgement writing will be strengthened where appropriate.
Hong Kong judge who committed serial plagiarism to take early retirement at chief justice’s request
