Robert Tang (judge)
{{EngvarB|date=June 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2015}}
{{Family name hatnote|Tang|Robert|Ching or Kwok-ching|lang=Hong Kong}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = The Honourable
| name = Robert Tang Ching
| native_name = 鄧國楨
| native_name_lang = zh-hk
| honorific-suffix = GBM, SBS, JP
| image =
| imagesize = 150px
| caption =
| order =
| office = Non-Permanent Judge of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal
| term_start = 2018
| term_end =
| office2 = Permanent Judge of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal
| term_start2 = 2012
| term_end2 = 2018
| nominator2 =
| appointer2 =
| predecessor2 = Kemal Bokhary
| successor2 = Andrew Cheung
| office3 = Non-Permanent Judge of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal
| term_start3 = 2010
| term_end3 = 2012
| nominator3 =
| appointer3 =
| predecessor3 =
| successor3 =
| office4 = Vice President of the Court of Appeal
| term_start4 = 2006
| term_end4 = 2010
| nominator4 =
| appointer4 =
| predecessor4 =
| successor4 =
| office5 = Justice of Appeal of the Court of Appeal
| term_start5 = 2005
| term_end5 = 2006
| nominator5 =
| appointer5 =
| predecessor5 =
| successor5 =
| office6 = Judge of the Court of First Instance
| term_start6 = 2004
| term_end6 = 2005
| nominator6 =
| appointer6 =
| predecessor6 =
| successor6 =
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1947|01|7}}
| birth_place = Shanghai, Republic of China
| nationality = Chinese
| spouse =
| relations =
| children = 2
| alma_mater = University of Birmingham
| occupation = Judge
}}
{{Chinese
| title = Robert Tang Ching
| order = ts
| t = 鄧楨
| s = 邓桢
| j = dang6 zing1
| p = Dèng Zhēn
| altname = Robert Tang Kwok-ching
| t2 = 鄧國楨
| s2 = 邓国桢
| j2 = dang6 gwok3 zing1
| p2 = Dèng Guózhēn
}}
Robert Tang Kwok-ching, GBM, SBS, JP ({{zh|t=鄧國楨|c=|s=|p=}}; born 7 January 1947){{Cite web|url=https://www.hkcfa.hk/tc/about/who/judges/npjs/index_id_58.html|title=非常任法官|last=|first=|date=|website=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}} is a retired Hong Kong judge. He previously served as a permanent judge of the Court of Final Appeal, and before that, the vice-president of the Court of Appeal in Hong Kong.{{cite web |title=Robert C. Tang's personal website |url=https://www.robertctang.hk/}} Following his retirement, he was appointed a non-permanent judge of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal.
Early life and education
Born in Shanghai, Robert Tang received his education in England. In 1969, he graduated from the University of Birmingham.{{cite web|url=http://gia.info.gov.hk/general/201004/08/P201004080178_0178_63680.pdf|title=Annex Curriculum Vitae|publisher=Government of Hong Kong|date=8 April 2010|accessdate=25 January 2011}}
Legal career
Tang began his legal career as a barrister at Gray's Inn in England in 1969. He was called to the Bar in Hong Kong in 1970, the Bar of Victoria, Australia in 1984, and the New York Bar in 1986. Tang was appointed as Queen's Counsel in 1986. In 1992, he was admitted as a barrister in Singapore. From 1988 to 1990 he was Chairman of the Hong Kong Bar Association. During his time in private practice, he was eminently successful and was described by his former pupil and current Chief Justice Geoffrey Ma to have had arguably "the most successful practice” in the profession.{{Cite news|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/2169720/eternal-vigilance-needed-hong-kong-uphold-rule-law-top|title='Eternal vigilance' needed to uphold Hong Kong's rule of law, judge says|work=South China Morning Post|access-date=2018-10-31|language=en}}
Judicial career
Tang served as a Deputy District Judge in 1982 and as a Deputy High Court Judge in 1986. He was appointed as a Recorder of the High Court in 1995 and appointed a judge of the High Court in April 2004.
He became a Justice of Appeal of the Court of Appeal of Hong Kong on 3 January 2005 and was later appointed as the Vice-President of the Court of Appeal of Hong Kong on 1 November 2006.
He was appointed a non-permanent judge of the Court of Final Appeal on 1 September 2010. He then became a permanent judge of the Court on 25 October 2012.
From October 2012 to September 2018, Tang was a member of the Law Reform Commission of Hong Kong.{{cite web|url=https://www.hkreform.gov.hk/en/members/former_members.htm |title=Commission members & staff |publisher=The Law Reform Commission of Hong Kong}}
On 21 March 2018, the judiciary announced that Tang would be appointed as a non-permanent judge following his retirement; Andrew Cheung was named as his successor in the Court of Final Appeal.
Family
Tang is married to Cissy K. S. Lam and has two children, Hilary and Charles Tang.
Honours
In 2004, Tang was awarded the Silver Bauhinia Star and the Grand Bauhinia Medal 大紫荊勳章 for his judicial service in Hong Kong.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.robertctang.hk/ Robert C. Tang's personal website]
{{s-start}}
{{s-legal}}
{{s-bef|before=Kemal Bokhary}}
{{s-ttl|title=Permanent Judge of the Court of Final Appeal
|with=Patrick Chan (2012–2013)
|with2=Robert Ribeiro (2012–2018)
|with3=Joseph Fok (2013–2018)
|years=2012–2018}}
{{s-aft|after=Andrew Cheung}}
{{s-prec}}
{{s-before|before = Andrew Cheung
Permanent Judge of the Court of Final Appeal}}
{{s-ttl|title = Hong Kong order of precedence
Non-permanent Judge of the Court of Final Appeal}}
{{s-aft|after = Frank Stock
Non-Permanent Judge of the Court of Final Appeal}}
{{end}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tang, Robert}}
Category:Alumni of the University of Birmingham
Category:British Hong Kong judges
{{HongKong-law-bio-stub}}