梁國安

English

Harold Leong is a judge of the District Court of Hong Kong, born in Hong Kong in 1966. He first trained in medicine, obtaining a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from the University College and Middlesex Hospital Medical School of the University of London in 1991. He then turned to law, receiving an LL.B. from the City University, London, in 1995 and completing the legal practice course at the London Law School in 1996, which is the examination for admission as a solicitor for those converting from the Bar. He qualified as a solicitor in Hong Kong in 1998 and practised privately from that year, and he served as a Deputy District Judge in 2010 and 2012, through which he gained first-hand experience of the District Court's work. On 7 January 2013, Leong was appointed a District Judge together with Lee Wan-tang, Chan Ka-shun and Yu Kai-siu, while Wong Sze-lai was appointed a Permanent Magistrate the same day; the appointments were made by the Chief Executive on the recommendation of the Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission. Having already handled District Court cases as a deputy, he was familiar with the court's operation when he became a substantive judge. The District Court is one of Hong Kong's original courts, immediately below the High Court. It handles civil claims of moderate value and the more serious criminal cases, with a sentencing limit generally of seven years' imprisonment, and it also includes a Family Court dealing with matrimonial and related matters. Judges are appointed by the Chief Executive on the independent recommendation of the Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission. Article 85 of the Basic Law provides that the courts shall exercise judicial power independently, free from any interference, and Article 89 provides that a judge may be removed only for inability to discharge the duties of office or for misbehaviour, thereby safeguarding judicial independence. Leong's move from medicine to law and then to the bench is an unusual path among his colleagues, and his dual training in medicine and law gives him a distinctive perspective on the cases he hears. District Court judges need the ability to hear both criminal and civil cases, and a well-rounded judge copes better with the court's varied business; starting as a deputy allowed Leong to build experience on both fronts.