Australian non-permanent judge Robert French has stepped down from the Court of Final Appeal, with the government on Friday expressing regret over his resignation.

The administration also extended its gratitude to the departing judge and issued assurances that the SAR's judicial work would not be affected.

"The presence or absence of individual judges will not undermine the integrity of the system, nor impair the [Hong Kong SAR] government's determination in upholding the rule of law," a spokesperson said.

"The [Hong Kong SAR] government fully supports the judiciary in its continuous efforts to appoint and retain foreign non-permanent judges in the future, and will endeavour to capitalise on the [Hong Kong SAR's] common law system, upholding the rule of law in Hong Kong."

Confirming French's departure, the judiciary said he had "affirmed his continued respect for the independence and integrity" of all judges at Hong Kong's top court.

"The judiciary is grateful to Mr Justice French for his valuable contributions to the work of the [Court of Final Appeal] and his support for the rule of law in Hong Kong during his tenure," it said.

French, who previously served as the Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia, joined the top court as a non-permanent judge in 2017.

Following his exit, there are nine non-permanent judges sitting on the Court of Final Appeal. Five of them are from the United Kingdom and Australia.

"In light of its steady caseload, the operation of the [Court of Final Appeal] will not be affected by the recent change in membership of the court," the judiciary said.

"The judiciary will continue to identify suitable local and overseas candidates for appointment as non-permanent judges."

Meanwhile, the Bar Association has expressed regret over French’s resignation, adding that it is grateful for his contributions to the development of jurisprudence and the rule of law in Hong Kong.

It also noted his departure will not affect the court's judicial functions, and said that it has “every confidence in the independence of the [Court of Final Appeal]”.
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Last updated: 2025-04-11 HKT 21:03