Skip to content

Something urgent? Call us now! (852) 3416 1711

Court live streaming ‘to be limited’

Hong Kong, 18 December 2023: A Judiciary initiative to begin live streaming of court proceedings early next year will be “very limited” in its scope and will not involve juries or witnesses, Colin Cohen has told radio listeners.

Speaking on RTHK Radio 3’s Backchat, he commented: “Open justice is a fundamental characteristic of our legal system and so, for most hearings, any member of the public can attend. Our government is looking to follow other jurisdictions whereby you can watch a live stream on your computer or television. It is an extra dimension to ensure that open justice is for everybody.”

Colin, Senior Partner in BC&C, dismissed the notion that the move could result in show trials like those in the US – such as the defamation hearing between celebrities Johnny Depp and Amber Heard – which have triggered a social media frenzy.

He told presenters Andrew Work and Car Ha: “My understanding is they will start with the Court of Final Appeal, where the court considers legal arguments and delivers its judgment. I can also see it possibly happening at the end of trials where the judge is giving reasons for sentencing. But I don’t believe we’ll be able to watch jury trials or see witnesses give evidence. As for a Johnny Depp scenario, that will never happen here.”

The discussion was aired after the Judiciary revealed it is “planning to take forward a trial run on selected cases in early 2024”. The move brings Hong Kong into line with countries such as Canada, the UK, Australia and the US, which all broadcast proceedings in their top courts, albeit with some differences in how this is done.

The UK began live streaming of hearings in its Supreme Court in 2009 and expanded this to the Court of Appeal in 2013. Last year, the sentencing in a criminal trial in the UK was shown live on television for the first time, although filming was limited to the judge’s sentencing remarks, with only the judge appearing on camera.

39+ years of legal experience is just a click away.

Friendly and approachable, we are ready to answer your questions and offer you sound advice.

Contact us now

BC&C-contact-us

News & Knowledge

Learn more about what we do and what we say. Subscribe to our newsletter to ensure you receive our updates.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Focus on AI at Gold Coast gathering

Hong Kong, 11 November 2024: The impact of artificial intelligence on the legal profession was examined when our Senior Partner Colin Cohen and Managing Partner Alex Liu attended Ally Law’s Asia Pacific Conference in Australia’s Gold Coast. Themed “AI & Authenticity”, the gathering examined how the rapid advance of AI is now helping law firms […]

Read more

Window of opportunity for insurers

By Jeffrey Chan, Leann Au and Waverly Chan Hong Kong, 7 November 2024: The plight of tenants living in subdivided units (“SDUs”) has long been a pressing problem in Hong Kong. Currently, some 220,000 people reside in the city’s 110,000 SDUs, many of which offer undesirable living conditions, including limited space, inadequate fire safety and […]

Read more

Law & More: Episode 46 – Ian McWalters

Hong Kong, 4 November 2024: In this episode, we meet former Director of Public Prosecutions and later Justice of Appeal Ian McWalters, who looks back on his upbringing in Australia, adventurous days as a lawyer in Papua New Guinea, and four decades of stellar service in the Hong Kong legal profession. He speaks with our […]

Read more

The tipples that take their toll

Hong Kong, 16 October 2024: “Getting your head down, sweetie? Jolly good idea!” So says Leonard Rossiter after causing Joan Collins to spill a drink on herself aboard a flight. It was one of a series of classic TV ads starring the pair promoting Cinzano vermouth, with Rossiter’s social-climbing buffoonery always ensuring the icily elegant […]

Read more

Law & More: Episode 45 – Anoop Gidwani

Hong Kong, 14 October 2024: In the latest episode, we welcome forensic accountant and tenacious investigator of white collar crime Anoop Gidwani, who has recently left the Independent Commission Against Corruption after 37 years of distinguished service. As well, Anoop’s unwavering commitment to integrity extends to cricket, a sport he continues to serve with distinction […]

Read more