Twenty-five judges and magistrates were appointed to different Hong Kong courts yesterday - the first batch of appointments following the chief justice's announcement this month that he would be retiring early.
The new appointments will take effect from Monday. Six of the appointments are to the magistracy, eleven to the District Court, six to the Court of First Instance and one to the Court of Appeal. There is also one new principal family court judge.
Madam Justice Susan Kwan Shuk-hing, 55, was appointed to the Court of Appeal, while High Court deputy judges Anthony To Kwai-fung, Peter Line, Maggie Poon Man-kay, Derek Pang Wai-cheong, Colin Mackintosh and District Court judge Au Hing-cheung, aged from 48 to 63, will be Court of First Instance judges.
The 11 District Court judges, aged from 42 to 59, are Garry Tallentire, Eddie Yip Chor-man, Katina Levy Law Suet-mui, Chan Chan-kok, Simon Kwang Cheok-weung, Albert Wong Sung-hau, Frankie Yiu Fun-che, Wong King-wah, Poon Siu-tung, Justin Ko King-sau and Douglas Yau Tak-hong.
Bebe Chu Pui-ying was appointed principal family court judge.
On September 2, Chief Justice Andrew Li Kwok-nang, 60, who is five years short of retirement age, announced he would take early retirement in a year.