Knowledge

Director of Public Prosecutions (Hong Kong)

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As the head of the Prosecutions Division, the Director may or may not choose to be actively involved in court hearings. For example, while Keith Yeung was primarily known for directing overall policy and was rarely in court, David Leung was known to be actively involved and was often seen in court.
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judgeship; Director's appointed to the High Court must go through a six-month "cooling-off" period, in which they are kept out of any criminal trials, civil cases, or appeals involving the government. To date, Cross remains the only Director not to become a High Court judge post-retirement, but
231:, a politically appointed role, is the chief prosecutor and ultimately can direct the Director on criminal prosecution matters. This has come under fire from a number of legal experts in Hong Kong, including former prosecutor Ian Grenville Cross QC SC, eminent criminal defense lawyer 878:
In order to reduce reliance on costly external Senior Counsel prosecutors, the Department of Justice has been trying to groom in house prosecutors to achieve Senior Counsel status; the following is a list of current Senior Counsel prosecutors:
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Prior to 1997, the position was known as the Crown Prosecutor. First appointed in 1979, there have been seven different Crown Prosecutors between 1979 and 1997. A list of former Crown Prosecutors is as follows:
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The incumbent Director is an unofficial Justice of the Peace, and is given the "JP" designation while in office; this designation is removed upon leaving office, unless officially appointed separately.
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The following is a list of former prosecutors who were appointed Senior Counsel during their tenure with the Department (since 1997 onwards); the year of elevation is indicated in brackets.
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SC, a lifelong prosecutor who joined the Prosecutions Division in 1995; he was appointed director in 2017. Leung resigned on 31 July 2020, citing differences with Secretary for Justice
127: 1113: 1189: 1295: 130:), exercising the discretion of whether to institute criminal proceedings, and providing advice to others in government on proposed changes to the criminal law. 969: 1145: 1023: 255:
Director's are required to retire at age 60, and may return to private practice. Traditionally, however, outgoing Director's are offered the chance of a
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whether this was due to his own personal choice or the fact that a position was not offered to him is unclear.
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The Director may be appointed from a wide range of candidates, as long as they have been called to the
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William Tam Yiu-ho, SC (2015): Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions (Commercial Crime)
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Michael Blanchflower, SC (2001): Entered private practice with Parkside Chambers
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John Reading, SC (1999): Entered private practice with Pacific Chambers
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David Leung, SC (2015): Entered private practice with Liberty Chambers
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transferred criminal prosecuting powers to the UK's Director in 2009.
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https://www.law.hku.hk/ccpl/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/IGC-May-29.pdf
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Martin Hui, SC (2015): Entered private practice with Plowman Chambers
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Vinci Lam, SC (2021): Entered private practice with Plowman Chambers
1046:"Hong Kong's director of public prosecutions is key to rule of law" 941:
Anna Lai, SC (2016): Entered private practice with Plowman Chambers
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was an eminent criminal Senior Counsel in private practice.
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Varies (contract based); mandatory retirement age of 60
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Assumed role of Director as incumbent Crown Prosecutor
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Robert Lee, SC (2008): Entered private practice with
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Arthur Luk, SC (2002): Entered private practice with
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First Director to be appointed from private practice
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First Director to not join judiciary post-retirement
84: 73: 63: 53: 20: 1128:"Organisation chart of the Prosecutions Division" 1002:"ใ€ๅพ‹ๆ”ฟๅธๅœฐ้œ‡ใ€‘ๆขๅ“็„ถๆ„›่ฆช่‡ชไธŠ้™ฃๅ‡บๅบญ ๆณ•ๅพ‹็•ŒๆŒ‡ๅฐ็คพ้‹ๆกˆใ€ŒๅŽปๅพ—ๅฅฝ็›กใ€(Chinese only)" 1197: 8: 962:"Director of public prosecutions quits post" 100:Director of Public Prosecutions of Hong Kong 141:, leaving the post at the end of the year. 1213:Hong Kong Directors of Public Prosecutions 1204: 1190: 1182: 874:List of current senior counsel prosecutors 783:First Director to go into private practice 888:List of former senior counsel prosecutors 267: 235:, barrister and legal sector legislator 953: 858:First non-Silk to be appointed Director 181:Anthony Duckett, QC (Acting, 1989โ€“1990) 1152:from the original on 25 February 2020. 1134:from the original on 22 December 2019. 1116:from the original on 25 February 2020. 1091: 1080: 1077:from the original on 28 February 2020. 1034:from the original on 28 February 2020. 914:Ian McWalters, SC (2005): Appointed a 714:First local Hong Kong Chinese Director 245:Attorney General for England and Wales 17: 1296:Law enforcement agencies of Hong Kong 7: 916:Judge of the Court of First Instance 910:Judge of the Court of First Instance 1012:from the original on 1 August 2020. 988:Hong Kong Government Press Releases 908:Kevin Zervos, SC (2003): Appointed 106:) is a law officer and head of the 1056:from the original on 24 July 2020. 972:from the original on 25 June 2021. 929:Wesley Wong, SC (2013): Appointed 14: 548:First SC to be appointed Director 1269: 1176:(No. 1, Vol. 25, 8 January 2021) 656:Born 1964 (age 59–60) 445:Last QC to be appointed Director 26: 594:2 years and 168 days 21:Director of Public Prosecutions 853:First woman appointed Director 831:3 years and 31 days 749:Born 15 December 1966 (age 57) 576:Born 25 November 1953 (age 70) 508:1 year and 111 days 440:First Director to be appointed 419:12 years and 7 days 298:Further judicial appointments 1: 926:Simon Tam, SC (2013): Retired 767:3 years and 3 days 674:4 years and 0 days 489:Born 17 February 1951 (age 73 178:James Findlay, QC (1986โ€“1989) 1174:Hong Kong Government Gazette 223:Independence of the director 175:Joseph Duffy, QC (1984โ€“1986) 124:Hong Kong Customs and Excise 78:Peter Van Tu Nguyen, QC, SC 1312: 774:(LLB, PCLL, LLM, LLM (HR)) 152:to be appointed director. 1267: 1219: 684: 622:Justice of Appeal of the 537:Justice of Appeal of the 518: 423:University of Southampton 400:Born 15 June 1951 (age 73 368:Shortest serving Director 345: 209:Ian Grenville Cross QC SC 172:Max Lucas, QC (1982โ€“1984) 133:Former directors include 39: 25: 455:Longest serving Director 241:South China Morning Post 144:The current director is 771:University of Hong Kong 705:Court of First Instance 697:Court of First Instance 678:University of Hong Kong 616:Court of First Instance 605:University of Hong Kong 531:Court of First Instance 354:Court of First Instance 922:Cheng Huan SC Chambers 904:Cheng Huan SC Chambers 1112:. 13 September 2013. 741:David Leung Cheuk-yin 477:Ian Charles McWalters 229:Secretary for Justice 112:Department of Justice 108:Prosecutions Division 58:Secretary for Justice 1291:Prosecution services 1168:25 June 2021 at the 695:Deputy Judge of the 648:Keith Yeung Kar-hung 512:University of Sydney 320:(1943โ€“2020; aged 76) 199:Role of the director 1148:. 11 January 2019. 1030:. 10 January 2018. 835:University of Wales 808:Maggie Yang Mei-kei 390:Ian Grenville Cross 313:Peter Van Tu Nguyen 146:Maggie Yang Mei-kei 89:Hong Kong Basic Law 45:Maggie Yang Mei-kei 33:Emblem of Hong Kong 1052:. 11 August 2013. 1278: 1277: 1090:Missing or empty 990:. 13 August 2021. 931:Solicitor General 867: 866: 859: 854: 845: 796: 792: 784: 775: 764:31 December 2020 761:29 December 2017 750: 746: 732: 728: 720: 715: 708: 700: 691: 682: 671:8 September 2017 668:9 September 2013 657: 653: 639: 635: 627: 619: 609: 602: 598:Monash University 591:8 September 2013 577: 573: 568:Kevin Paul Zervos 559: 549: 542: 534: 525: 516: 490: 486: 482: 468: 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1250:(2013โ€“2017) 1248:Keith Yeung 1244:(2011โ€“2013) 1238:(2009โ€“2011) 1232:(1997โ€“2009) 1006:Apple Daily 686:Rimsky Yuen 681:(LLB, PCLL) 396:GBS, QC, SC 356:(1997โ€“2008) 347:Elsie Leung 286:Tenure end 237:Dennis Kwok 188:(1990โ€“1994) 184:John Wood, 169:(1979โ€“1982) 165:David Boy, 135:David Leung 92:1 July 1997 65:Term length 1285:Categories 949:References 608:(LLM (HR)) 584:Australian 498:Australian 257:High Court 251:Retirement 827:Incumbent 819:Hong Kong 757:Hong Kong 699:(2018โ€“19) 664:Hong Kong 618:(2013โ€“18) 601:(BS, LLB) 541:(2014โ€“21) 533:(2011โ€“14) 515:(BA, LLB) 328:Hong Kong 116:Hong Kong 85:Formation 54:Appointer 42:Incumbent 1166:Archived 1163:"G.N. 2" 1150:Archived 1132:Archived 1114:Archived 1083:cite web 1072:Archived 1054:Archived 1032:Archived 1010:Archived 970:Archived 707:(2019โ€“) 626:(2018โ€“) 409:British 110:of the 1226:(1997) 795:(2015) 731:(2009) 638:(2003) 558:(2005) 467:(1990) 380:(1995) 301:Notes 126:, and 80:, 1997 1075:(PDF) 426:(LLB) 304:Silk 274:Name 1096:help 1050:SCMP 1028:SCMP 966:RTHK 753:ๆขๅ“็„ถ 660:ๆฅŠๅฎถ้›„ 580:่–›ๅ‰ๆˆ 494:้บฅๅ‰ๅพท 405:ๆฑŸๆจ‚ๅฃซ 324:้˜ฎ้›ฒ้“ 271:No. 227:The 128:ICAC 98:The 814:ๆฅŠ็พŽ็ช 481:GBS 104:DPP 1287:: 1172:, 1130:. 1087:: 1085:}} 1081:{{ 1070:. 1048:. 1026:. 1004:. 986:. 964:. 844:SC 842:, 791:SC 745:SC 743:, 737:6 727:SC 690:SC 688:, 652:SC 650:, 644:5 634:SC 572:SC 570:, 564:4 556:SC 524:SC 522:, 491:) 485:SC 483:, 479:, 473:3 463:QC 402:) 386:2 376:QC 309:1 186:CB 167:QC 122:, 1205:e 1198:t 1191:v 1098:) 1094:( 802:7 393:, 102:(

Index


Emblem of Hong Kong
Maggie Yang Mei-kei
Secretary for Justice
Term length
Peter Van Tu Nguyen, QC, SC
Hong Kong Basic Law
Prosecutions Division
Department of Justice
Hong Kong
Hong Kong Police
Hong Kong Customs and Excise
ICAC
David Leung
Teresa Cheng
Maggie Yang Mei-kei
Queen's Counsel
QC
CB
Peter Nguyen
Hong Kong Bar
Ian Grenville Cross QC SC
Keith Yeung SC
Secretary for Justice
Cheng Huan QC SC
Dennis Kwok
South China Morning Post
Attorney General for England and Wales
High Court
Peter Van Tu Nguyen

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