Create judge training pathway to tackle Hong Kong courtroom delays: think tank

The think tank POD Research Institute, established by Executive Council member Ronny Tong Ka-wah, has recommended that Hong Kong implement a full-time training pathway for the most promising law graduates to become judges. This proposal aims to address the issue of courtroom delays by increasing the pool of local judicial talent.

According to the institute, the average waiting time for a court date in District Court cases was 337 days in 2025, while criminal cases at the Court of First Instance averaged 368 days. Tong, a senior counsel and think tank founder, argued that prolonged delays could undermine human rights and the rule of law, particularly in serious cases where defendants may spend years in detention without a conviction.

He suggested that Hong Kong could follow the models of Germany and France, which allow exceptional law graduates to pursue a full-time judicial career after structured training and assessment. This new pathway would involve recruiting law graduates, including judicial assistants and legal researchers, providing them with court-based experience, and assessing their suitability for appointment as judges.

Tong emphasized that the proposed system would not conflict with Hong Kong's common law framework and would offer a competitive starting salary for magistrates, along with a clear promotion ladder. However, the Hong Kong Bar Association opposes the proposal, arguing that the current system, which appoints experienced legal practitioners as judges, is optimal and that no leading common law jurisdictions have adopted a career judge model.

The Bar Association also noted that the city would prefer to invest in resources rather than deviate from a system that has proven effective. The Judiciary is currently facing a shortage of judges, with several retirements announced, and the Hong Kong Judiciary is actively seeking to nurture internal talent.