Sir Terence Arnold appointed to Hong Kong's top court, boosting overseas judge count to six
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee accepted a recommendation to appoint Sir Terence Arnold as a non-permanent judge of the Court of Final Appeal. The appointment brings the number of overseas judges to six, drawing from the UK, Australia and New Zealand, and is seen as a sign of international confid
Chief Executive John Lee has accepted the recommendation of the Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission to appoint Sir Terence Arnold as a non-permanent judge of the Court of Final Appeal from other common law jurisdictions. The appointment, made in mid-October, will proceed after obtaining the consent of the Legislative Council in accordance with relevant legislation.
Sir Terence Arnold, a former permanent judge of the Supreme Court of New Zealand and a judge of the Supreme Court of Fiji and the Court of Appeal of the Cook Islands, will increase the number of overseas judges in the Court of Final Appeal to six. These judges come from the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.
Mr Lee said the addition of prestigious overseas judges as non-permanent judges highlights that the Basic Law guarantees the independence of Hong Kong's judiciary. It demonstrates the high confidence of the outside world in Hong Kong's judicial system and enables Hong Kong to maintain close ties with other common law jurisdictions.
The appointment comes amid repeated threats of sanctions by Western politicians in the United States and other countries against Hong Kong judicial personnel. Former Director of Public Prosecutions Grenville Cross said overseas non-permanent judges, like local Hong Kong judges, remain steadfast in their stance. They will continue to fearlessly and impartially administer justice and will never fear the intimidation of anti-China elements, he added.
Anti-China organisations, including the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation and Hong Kong Watch, have publicly pressured Sir Terence Arnold to refuse the appointment. Samuel Bickett, an American lawyer associated with the foundation, wrote articles to smear Sir Terence Arnold's past trial cases. In November 2023, US members of Congress proposed the Hong Kong Sanctions Act, demanding sanctions against 49 Hong Kong officials, judges and prosecutors. By May 2025, US senators proposed the Hong Kong Judicial Sanctions Act, demanding sanctions against Chief Justice Andrew Cheung, multiple High Court judges and the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Mr Cross noted that the British Conservative government years ago pressured overseas non-permanent judges of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal, leading to the resignation of two British judges. However, the court has since recruited multiple high-quality judges of Australian and New Zealand nationalities, ensuring that Hong Kong's level of judicial professionalism remains second to none, he said.