The Chief Executive, Mr C Y Leung, has accepted the recommendation of the Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission (JORC) on the appointments of the Honourable Chief Justice Robert French AC and the Right Honourable Lord Reed as non-permanent judges from other common law jurisdictions of the Court of Final Appeal. Subject to the endorsement of the Legislative Council, the Chief Executive will make the appointments under Article 88 of the Basic Law.
 
     Mr Leung said, "I am pleased to accept the JORC's recommendation on the appointments of the Honourable Chief Justice Robert French AC and the Right Honourable Lord Reed as non-permanent judges from other common law jurisdictions of the Court of Final Appeal. The Honourable Chief Justice Robert French AC has been the Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia since September 2008 and he will be retiring from the office on January 29, 2017. The Right Honourable Lord Reed has been a Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom since December 2011. They are judges of eminent standing and reputation. I am confident that they will be a great asset to the Court of Final Appeal."
 
     Article 90 of the Basic Law provides that the Chief Executive shall obtain the endorsement of the Legislative Council on the appointment of judges of the Court of Final Appeal. The Government will seek the endorsement of the Legislative Council on the recommended appointments in due course.
 
     The curricula vitae of the recommended appointees are at Annex.

Ends/Wednesday, January 18, 2017
Issued at HKT 14:00

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