Hong Kong Ordinances

HIGH COURT ORDINANCE - SECT 7

Precedence

(Past version on 30/06/1997).

Adaptation amendments retroactively made - see 25 of 1998 s. 2

(1) The judges of the High Court shall take precedence in the following order-

   (a)  the Chief Judge of the High Court; (Amended 79 of 1995 s. 50)

   (aa) the vice-presidents of the Court of Appeal who among themselves shall
        rank according to the priority of their respective appointments as
        vice-presidents; (Added 52 of 1987 s. 6)

   (b)  the Justices of Appeal (other than vice-presidents), who among
        themselves shall rank according to the priority of their respective
        appointments; (Amended 52 of 1987 s. 6)

   (c)  the judges of the Court of First Instance, who among themselves shall
        rank according to the priority of their respective appointments;

   (ca) the recorders of the Court of First Instance, who among themselves
        shall rank according to the priority of their respective appointments:
        Provided that, where the Governor is of the opinion that there are
        sufficient reasons for so doing, he may determine the precedence of
        recorders irrespective of the priority of their appointments; (Added
        80 of 1994 s. 6)

   (d)  deputy judges, who among themselves shall rank according to the
        priority of their respective appointments: Provided that, where the
        Governor is of the opinion that there are sufficient reasons for so
        doing, he may determine the precedence of deputy  judges irrespective
        of the priority of their appointments. (Amended 49 of 1983 s. 4)

(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1)(b) and (c), where the Secretary of State is
of the opinion that there are sufficient reasons for so doing, he may
determine the precedence of the Justices of Appeal or the judges of the
Court of First Instance, as the case may be, irrespective of the priority of
their appointments. (Amended 25 of 1998 s. 2)