Judiciary to face challenges ahead

January 11, 2021

Chief Justice Andrew Cheung:
Political pressure is just one form of pressure that judges face and have to deal with. So we all do our best to deal with these pressures.

If a colleague were to ask me for some advice I would surely give him or her this advice: Never mind the pressure, never mind the type of pressure, never mind the source of the pressure, the origin of the pressure or where the pressure comes from. Focus on your own case.

Never mind what people will say about your decision. You just decide the case, regardless, according to the law, facts, evidence and argument.

I think, from my own experience, that is a good way - I can't say it is the best way - of dealing with work pressure.

Chief Justice Andrew Cheung today said the Judiciary will do its best to face the challenges ahead.

Meeting the media after attending the Ceremonial Opening of the Legal Year 2021, Mr Cheung stressed that judges must not be subject to improper extraneous pressure or influence when discharging their judicial functions.

“Political pressure is just one form of pressure that judges face and have to deal with. So we all do our best to deal with these pressures.

“If a colleague were to ask me for some advice, I would surely give him or her this advice: Never mind the pressure, never mind the type of pressure, never mind the source of the pressure, the origin of the pressure or where the pressure comes from. Focus on your own case.

“Never mind what people will say about your decision. You just decide the case, regardless, according to the law, facts, evidence and argument.”