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Court of Final Appeal Non-Permanent Judge Gummow Dies at 83

HK01 · 4 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN

Summary

Justice William Montague Charles Gummow, a Non-Permanent Judge of Hong Kong's Court of Final Appeal, died on September 17, 2026, at the age of 83. Born in Australia in 1942, Gummow served as a Justice of the High Court of Australia from 1995 to 2012 before joining Hong Kong's top court in 2013. The Judiciary expressed deep sorrow at his passing and extended condolences to his family.

Key Points

Justice Gummow was born in Australia in 1942 and obtained his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Law degrees from the University of Sydney .
After practicing as a solicitor for 10 years, he was admitted as a barrister in New South Wales in 1976, and appointed Senior Counsel in 1986 .
He served as a judge of the Federal Court of Australia starting in 1986, then as a Justice of the High Court of Australia from 1995 to 2012 .
Gummow was appointed a Non-Permanent Judge of Hong Kong's Court of Final Appeal in 2013 and heard multiple cases, with his most recent appearance in May 2026 .
His final case involved an appeal by former Chinese University of Hong Kong Students' Union president So Cheuk-wing regarding incitement to cast blank votes .
The Judiciary praised Gummow for writing numerous significant judgments that enriched Hong Kong's jurisprudence .
He received the Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in 1997 for his distinguished service .
Following his death, Hong Kong's overseas Non-Permanent Judges now number five .

Why It Matters

Gummow's death marks another reduction in the ranks of distinguished overseas jurists serving on Hong Kong's Court of Final Appeal, a body that has historically benefited from international judicial expertise to uphold the rule of law in the city .