Clare-Marie Beeson
Clare-Marie Beeson, SBS () is a New Zealand-born lawyer who served as a judge in the Hong Kong Judiciary for over 29 years. Early life and career Beeson was born in 1948 in New Zealand. She was admitted as a solicitor and barrister in New Zealand in 1972 and was in private practice. In 1975, she joined the Hong Kong Legal Department as Crown Counsel and was promoted to Senior Crown Counsel in 1980.Daily Information Bulletin, Hong Kong Government Information Services, Jan 7, 1997 Judicial career Beeson joined the Hong Kong Judiciary as a magistrate in 1984 and became principal magistrate in 1990. She was appointed a District Court judge in 1991. On 1 December 1997, Beeson moved from her position as Chief District Judge to the Court of First Instance of the High Court of Hong Kong. In 2013, Beeson retired from the bench. She was awarded the Silver Bauhinia Star for her service in the Hong Kong Judiciary, particularly for her work presiding over serious criminal cases in ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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The Honourable
''The Honourable'' (British English) or ''The Honorable'' (American English; see spelling differences) (abbreviation: ''Hon.'', ''Hon'ble'', or variations) is an honorific style that is used as a prefix before the names or titles of certain people, usually with official governmental or diplomatic positions. Use by governments International diplomacy In international diplomatic relations, representatives of foreign states are often styled as ''The Honourable''. Deputy chiefs of mission, , consuls-general and consuls are always given the style. All heads of consular posts, whether they are honorary or career postholders, are accorded the style according to the State Department of the United States. However, the style ''Excellency'' instead of ''The Honourable'' is used for ambassadors and high commissioners. Africa The Congo In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the prefix 'Honourable' or 'Hon.' is used for members of both chambers of the Parliament of the Democratic Repu ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Judiciary Of Hong Kong
The Judiciary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is the judicial branch of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Under the Basic Law of Hong Kong, it exercises the judicial power of the Region and is independent of the executive and legislative branches of the Government. The courts in Hong Kong hear and adjudicate all prosecutions and civil disputes, including all public and private law matters. It is fundamental to the Hong Kong legal system that members of the judiciary are independent of the executive and legislative branches. The courts of law in Hong Kong comprise the Court of Final Appeal, the High Court (which includes the Court of Appeal and the Court of First Instance), the District Court, the Magistrates' Courts, and other special courts and tribunals set up by law. The Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal is head of the judiciary and assisted in his administrative duties by the Judiciary Administrator. A bilingual court system in which ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Silver Bauhinia Star
The Silver Bauhinia Star (, SBS) is the second Bauhinia Star rank in the honours system of Hong Kong, awarded to people who have taken a leading part in public affairs or voluntary work over a long period. The award was created in 1997 to replace the British honours system (such as Order of the British Empire) after the transfer of sovereignty to People's Republic of China and the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. List of recipients 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 See also *Bronze Bauhinia Star *Gold Bauhinia Star *Orders, decorations, and medals of Hong Kong The existing Hong Kong honours system was created after transfer of government of Hong Kong to the People's Republic of China as a special administrative region in 1997. Before that, Hong Kong was a British dependent territory and followed the B ... ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Court Of First Instance (Hong Kong)
The Court of First Instance is the lower court of the High Court of Hong Kong, the upper court being the Court of Appeal. Formerly the High Court of Justice of the Supreme Court of Hong Kong, it was renamed the Court of First Instance by the Basic Law after the transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to China. The Court of First Instance is the highest court in Hong Kong that can hear cases at first instance with unlimited jurisdiction in both civil and criminal matters. It hears predominantly civil cases but only relatively few criminal cases were heard at first instance, mostly involving the most serious crimes such as homicide offences, rape, serious drugs offences and major commercial frauds. It is also an appellate court hearing appeals against decisions made by Masters as well as those of: *Magistrates' Courts * Small Claims Tribunal * Obscene Articles Tribunal *Labour Tribunal *Minor Employment Claims Adjudication Board It is the only court in ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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High Court (Hong Kong)
The High Court of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is a part of the legal system of Hong Kong. It consists of the Court of Appeal and the Court of First Instance; it deals with criminal and civil cases which have risen beyond the lower courts. It is a superior court of record of unlimited civil and criminal jurisdiction. It was named the Supreme Court before 1997. Though previously named the Supreme Court, this Court has long been the local equivalent to the Senior Courts of England and Walesformerly the Supreme Court of England and Wales, renamed by the and has never been vested with the power of final adjudication. Composition Eligibility and appointment A person who has practised for at least 10 years as a barrister, advocate, solicitor or judicial officer in Hong Kong or another common law jurisdiction is eligible to be appointed as a High Court Judge or Recorder. A person who has practised for at least 5 years as a barrister, advocate, solicitor or ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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District Court (Hong Kong)
The District Court is the intermediate court system in Hong Kong, having limited criminal law, criminal and civil law (common law), civil jurisdictions. The District Court was established in 1953 with the enactment of the District Court Ordinance. It is located in the Wanchai Law Courts, Wanchai Tower, 12 Harbour Road. In the past there were six district courts, namely Former French Mission Building, Victoria, Old South Kowloon District Court, Kowloon, :File:FanlingMagistratesCourtBuilding2.jpg, Fanling, :File:Tsuen Wan Magistracy.JPG, Tsuen Wan, :File:HK Tuen Mun Law Courts Tuen Hing Road.JPG, Tuen Mun and :File:HK Shatin Magistrates Courts View1.jpg, Sha Tin, before being amalgamated and moved to the same location Jurisdiction Civil jurisdiction The District Court has limited civil jurisdiction. For a contract, quasi-contract or tort claim to be handled by the District Court, it should be for an amount over HK$75,000 but not more than HK$3 million. If the claim is more ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island country by area, covering . New Zealand is about east of Australia across the Tasman Sea and south of the islands of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga. The country's varied topography and sharp mountain peaks, including the Southern Alps, owe much to tectonic uplift and volcanic eruptions. New Zealand's capital city is Wellington, and its most populous city is Auckland. The islands of New Zealand were the last large habitable land to be settled by humans. Between about 1280 and 1350, Polynesians began to settle in the islands and then developed a distinctive Māori culture. In 1642, the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman became the first European to sight and record New Zealand. In 1840, representatives of the United Kingdom and Māori chiefs ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Ian Wingfield
Ian George McCurdy Wingfield GBS served as Solicitor General of Hong Kong from 2007 to 2010. Early life Wingfield was born in London and graduated from the University of East Anglia in 1970. Career Wingfield was called to the English Bar at Inner Temple in 1974 and to the Hong Kong Bar in 1994. He joined the Hong Kong Government as Government Counsel in January 1982. He was promoted to Senior Government Counsel in October 1982, to Deputy Principal Government Counsel in March 1985, and to Principal Government Counsel in March 1988. He was further promoted to Law Officer in November 1991 and since then held the positions of Law Officer (Civil Law), Law Officer (International Law). He was appointed Solicitor General of Hong Kong in 2007. In 2010, he left the Department of Justice and resumed practice as a barrister at the private bar in Hong Kong. Awards Wingfield was awarded the Gold Bauhinia Star in 1999 for his public service in the Department of Justice. Marriage Wingf ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Crown Counsel
Crown counsel are lawyers, generally in Common Law jurisdictions, who provide advice to the government and acts as prosecutors in cases. In various jurisdictions their title can vary and they could also be known as the Queen's Advocate, King's Advocate or Crown advocate. In some Canadian provinces they are titled Crown attorney. In Ceylon, following the enactment of the republican constitution, Crown Counsel were re-titled State Counsel. In Hong Kong, following the handover of Hong Kong to China, Crown Counsel were re-titled Government Counsel.Schedule 1 to the Legal Officers Ordinance See also *Crown attorney *Crown advocate Crown advocate is a title used in some former British colonies (and until recently in Britain) for a government prosecutor. In former British Colonies and certain British extraterritorial courts the title is (or was) used by the senior government ... References {{reflist Prosecution Lawyers ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Magistrate
The term magistrate is used in a variety of systems of governments and laws to refer to a civilian officer who administers the law. In ancient Rome, a '' magistratus'' was one of the highest ranking government officers, and possessed both judicial and executive powers. In other parts of the world, such as China, a magistrate was responsible for administration over a particular geographic area. Today, in some jurisdictions, a magistrate is a judicial officer who hears cases in a lower court, and typically deals with more minor or preliminary matters. In other jurisdictions (e.g., England and Wales), magistrates are typically trained volunteers appointed to deal with criminal and civil matters in their local areas. Original meaning In ancient Rome, the word '' magistratus'' referred to one of the highest offices of state. Analogous offices in the local authorities, such as ''municipium'', were subordinate only to the legislature of which they generally were members, '' ex officio'' ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Court Of First Instance
A court is any person or institution, often as a government institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and carry out the administration of justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in accordance with the rule of law. In both common law and civil law legal systems, courts are the central means for dispute resolution, and it is generally understood that all people have an ability to bring their claims before a court. Similarly, the rights of those accused of a crime include the right to present a defense before a court. The system of courts that interprets and applies the law is collectively known as the judiciary. The place where a court sits is known as a venue. The room where court proceedings occur is known as a courtroom, and the building as a courthouse; court facilities range from simple and very small facilities in rural communities to large complex facilities in urban communities. The practical authority given to the co ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Hong Kong Government Gazette
''Hong Kong Government Gazette'' is the official publication of the Government of Hong Kong and publishes laws, ordinances and other regulations. It is managed under the Government Logistics Department (GLD). The Director of the GLD reports to the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (and then to the Financial Secretary). The ''Government Gazette'' began on 24 September 1853 by the then British Crown colony and continues today as the publication of the Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China The special administrative regions (SAR) of the People's Republic of China are one of the provincial-level administrative divisions of the People's Republic of China directly under the control of its Central People's Government (State Co ... and renamed as the'' Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Gazette''. Old records are kept by libraries around the world and the government of Hong Kong. Online records of the Gazette ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |