Hong Kong’s ‘cheater’ judge plagiarised judgments thrice, to retire early

A High Court judge in Hong Kong is all set to retire later this week after he was found to have committed plagiarism in at least five of his judgements over the past three years.

High Court Judge Wilson Chan tendered his retirement on the request from Chief Justice Andrew Cheung. It comes into effect on Friday, as per the judiciary.

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This comes after Chan received a “serious reprimand” for committing plagiarism in his judgement in a 2024 trial over a company shares dispute, Hong Kong Free Press reported.

This was the third known instance when Chan was linked to “judicial copying” following two earlier instances in 2023.

In an official statement on Monday, Chief Justice Cheung said “judicial copying strikes at the very core” of the fundamental requirement for judges to adjudicate cases independently.

“A judge must exercise an independent judicial mind in carefully considering and resolving the issues raised and in determining the disputes before the court… The exercise of independent judicial judgment, which lies at the heart of the adjudicative process, is principally reflected in the reasons and judgments delivered by the judge,” Cheung said.

Cheung stated that Chan’s instances of plagiarism led to a number of appeals and orders for retrial. This not only strained the court’s resources, but even undermined public confidence in the judiciary.

Further, he warned judges at all levels of courts across Hong Kong to avoid any judicial copying.