{"id":29175,"date":"2024-08-23T13:20:07","date_gmt":"2024-08-23T13:20:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/prelive-tdw.visibleone.app\/insight-and-news\/the-case-for-recusal-a-summary-on-wssa-v-syh-2024-hkca-735\/"},"modified":"2025-09-22T08:06:29","modified_gmt":"2025-09-22T08:06:29","slug":"the-case-for-recusal-a-summary-on-wssa-v-syh-2024-hkca-735","status":"publish","type":"insight-and-news","link":"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/zh-hant\/insight-and-news\/the-case-for-recusal-a-summary-on-wssa-v-syh-2024-hkca-735\/","title":{"rendered":"The Case for Recusal: A Summary on WSSA v SYH [2024] HKCA 735"},"content":{"rendered":"\n    \n\n<div style=\"background-image:url('https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/wp-content\/themes\/tanner-de-witt\/images\/insightdetails.jpeg')\"\n    class=\"insight-news-detail-hero\" id=\"insight-news-detail-hero\">\n\n\t\t<div style=\"background-color:\" class=\"insight-news-detail-hero-overlay \"><\/div>\n            <div class=\"z-[0]\">\n                <div class=\"insight-news-breadcrumbs flex items-end practice-areas-featured-breadcrumbs \">\n                    <a class=\"page-link no-underline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/zh-hant\/\">Home<\/a>                <\/div>\n\n\n                <div class=\"hero-title\">\n                    <h1>\n                        The Case for Recusal: A Summary on WSSA v SYH [2024] HKCA 735                    <\/h1>\n                <\/div>\n                \n                    <div style=\"\" class=\"hero-date \">\n\n                        <span class=\"month\">Aug<\/span>\n                        <span class=\"day\">23<\/span>\n                        <span class=\"year\">2024<\/span>\n                    <\/div>\n\n            <\/div>\n    \n\n    \n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<script >\n    (function () {\n        document.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\", () => {\n\n            const breadCrumbsContainer = Array.from(document.querySelectorAll(\".practice-areas-featured-breadcrumbs\"));\n\n            breadCrumbsContainer.forEach(container => {\n                const breadCrumbLinks = Array.from(container.querySelectorAll('.page-link'));\n                const breadCrumbSeperators = Array.from(container.querySelectorAll('.separator'));\n\n                if (Array.from(breadCrumbLinks).length === 1) {\n                    const homeNode = breadCrumbLinks[0];\n\n                    if (!homeNode) {\n                        return\n                    }\n\n                    const postTypeNode = homeNode.cloneNode(true);\n                    postTypeNode.textContent = \"Insights and News\";\n                    container.insertAdjacentHTML('beforeend', `<span class=\"separator practice-areas-featured-breadcrumb-item-slash\">\/<\/span>`)\n                    container.insertAdjacentElement('beforeend', postTypeNode)\n                    breadCrumbLinks.push(postTypeNode);\n\n                    if (\"Insights\") {\n                        const categoryNode = homeNode.cloneNode(true);\n\n                        categoryNode.textContent = \"Insights\";\n                        container.insertAdjacentHTML('beforeend', `<span class=\"separator practice-areas-featured-breadcrumb-item-slash\">\/<\/span>`)\n                        container.insertAdjacentElement('beforeend', categoryNode)\n                        breadCrumbLinks.push(categoryNode);\n                    }\n\n\n                    const titleNode = homeNode.cloneNode(true);\n\n                    titleNode.textContent = \"The Case for Recusal: A Summary on WSSA v SYH [2024] HKCA 735\";\n                    container.insertAdjacentHTML('beforeend', `<span class=\"separator practice-areas-featured-breadcrumb-item-slash\">\/<\/span>`)\n                    container.insertAdjacentElement('beforeend', titleNode)\n                    breadCrumbLinks.push(titleNode);\n\n\n\n\n                }\n\n                breadCrumbLinks.forEach((link, index) => {\n\n                    link.classList.add('practice-areas-featured-breadcrumb-item-name');\n                    const origin = window.location.origin;\n                    const href = window.location.href;\n\n                    const originSplitter = window.location.href.includes(\"insight-and-news\") ? \"insight-and-news\" : window.location.href.includes('insights-and-news') ? \"insights-and-news\" : \"\"\n\n                    const paths = href.split(originSplitter);\n                    const links = paths[1].split(\"\/\").filter(Boolean)\n\n\n                    const resolvedOrigin = originSplitter ? (href.split(originSplitter)[0] || \"\") : (origin + \"\/\")\n\n                    if (index === 0) {\n\n                        if (!originSplitter) {\n                            link.href = origin\n                        } else {\n                            link.href = resolvedOrigin;\n                        }\n\n\n                    } else if (index === 1) {\n                        link.href = resolvedOrigin + originSplitter\n\n                    }\n                    else if (index === 2) {\n                        console.log(links)\n                        link.href = resolvedOrigin + originSplitter + \"\/\" + (links[0] || \"\")\n                    }\n                    else if (index === 3) {\n\n                        link.href = resolvedOrigin + originSplitter + \"\/\" + (links[0] || \"\") + \"\/\" + (links[1] || \"\")\n\n                    }\n\n\n\n                    \/\/ const words = link.textContent.split(\" \")\n                    \/\/ if (words.length > 4) {\n                    \/\/     link.textContent = words.slice(0, 4).join(\" \") + \"...\"\n                    \/\/ }\n\n                })\n\n                breadCrumbSeperators.forEach(separator => {\n                    separator.textContent = \"\/\"\n                    separator.classList.add('practice-areas-featured-breadcrumb-item-slash')\n                });\n\n\n            })\n\n\n        })\n        removeDivTag()\n    })();\n\n    function removeDivTag() {\n        console.log(\"remasfljas\");\n        const editorContainer = document.querySelector(\".editor-wysiwyg\");\n        \/\/ editorContainer.innerText = editorContainer.innerText.replace(\"<\/div>\", \"\")\n        Array.from(editorContainer.childNodes).forEach(el => {\n            if (el.textContent.includes(\"<\/div>\")) {\n                el.textContent = \"\"\n            }\n        })\n    }\n<\/script>\n\n<div class=\"editor-wysiwyg my-[40px]\">\n<div class=\"single-section\">\n<div class=\"single-section\">\n<p>In the Family Court, it is common to see high conflict and long running cases. Parties may frequently feel aggrieved by strict case management decisions or substantive decisions made by Judge or a Master which may not be in their favour. In cases where bias is real or perceived, a party may make an application to recuse a judge. These applications are serious and should not be made lightly. They should be filed quickly after the alleged incident of bias and grounded upon fact and not the mere perception of the aggrieved party.<\/p>\n<p>In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hklii.hk\/en\/cases\/hkca\/2024\/735?hl=WSSA%20v%20SYH%20%5B2024%5D%20HKCA%20735\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>WSSA v SYH [2024] HKCA 735<\/em><\/a>, the Court of Appeal had the opportunity to consider an application for recusal within the Family Court context and to consider the relevant test for apparent bias.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Background<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Parties married in 2007 and had two children together. Parties separated in 2017, and unfortunately the separation resulted in long and bitter disputes over the children.<\/p>\n<p>Parties took out various applications throughout the proceedings and the Husband, being dissatisfied with decisions made in interim orders, case management orders and comments made by the Judge, argued that those acts demonstrated a real possibility of bias. Thus, the Husband filed a summons seeking an order that the Judge be recused on the grounds of apparent bias. The application was dismissed (the \u201c<strong>Decision<\/strong>\u201d).<\/p>\n<p>The Husband appealed for leave against the Decision to the Court of Appeal.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Legal Principles<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The \u2018reasonable apprehension of bias test\u2019 is well set out in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hklii.hk\/en\/cases\/hkca\/2022\/1778?hl=%5B2022%5D%20HKCA%201778\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>GM-SA aka DG, M-S v DDPJ (Recusal) [2022] HKFLR 493<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cThe Court must ascertain all the circumstances which have a bearing on the suggestion that the judge was biased. It must then ask whether those circumstances would lead a fair-minded and informed observer to conclude that there was a real possibility, or a real danger, the two being the same, that the tribunal was biased.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The Husband raised two intended grounds of appeal: \u2013<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ground 1<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Husband contended that the Judge misapplied the \u2018reasonable apprehension of bias test\u2019. The Husband argued that the Judge failed to adopt a perspective of a fair-minded and informed observer to examine a number of matters and thus resulted in: \u2013<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>the unilateral imposition of certain interim orders;<\/li>\n<li>certain remarks made against the Husband;<\/li>\n<li>the decision to vacate trial dates; and<\/li>\n<li>the imposition of certain leave requirements.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>The Court dismissed all matters within Ground 1. The Court found that Ground 1 was, in substance, a series of complaints and did not find any indication that a fair-minded and informed observer would perceive a real possibility of bias.<\/p>\n<p>The interim orders for non-molestation and supervised access were not \u2018extreme\u2019 nor indicative of a \u2018real risk of bias\u2019. The Judge found that it was made in the best interest of the children. Furthermore, the Judge\u2019s decision to vacate trial dates on his own motion was also not indicative of bias. Even if the decision to vacate is an error in case management, it is incorrect to automatically equate the decision to \u2018risk of bias.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>The Court concluded that the Judge had rightly considered that the objective, fair minded and informed observer would not consider that there was bias.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ground 2<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Under this ground, the Husband argued that the Judge failed to consider two crucial points: firstly, that a fair-minded observer would perceive bias on the Judge\u2019s part, and secondly, that the Husband\u2019s lack of confidence in the Judge would undermine the chances of a fair outcome. The Court also dismissed Ground 2.<\/p>\n<p>The Court endorsed a \u2018light switch\u2019 analogy for apparent bias as stated <em>in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bailii.org\/cgi-bin\/format.cgi?doc=\/ew\/cases\/EWHC\/Ch\/2021\/949.html&amp;query=(Axnoller)+AND+(Events)+AND+(Ltd)+AND+(v)+AND+(Brake)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Axnoller Events Ltd v Brake [2021] EWHC 949<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <em>\u201cIt is like a light switch, either on or off.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The Court\u2019s observed that apparent bias is not a question of discretion but one of law. Either there is no apparent bias, in which the Judge <em>should not<\/em> recuse themselves, or there is apparent bias, in which case the Judge <em>must<\/em> recuse themselves. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The Court of Appeal was not persuaded that the intended ground was reasonably arguable.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Hong Kong Court reaffirms the \u2018reasonable apprehension of bias test\u2019. The Court of Appeal emphasised that adverse comments or expression of scepticism does not necessarily indicate bias unless there is an evident unwillingness by the Judge to consider opposing viewpoints. Further, the Court of Appeal will only overturn decisions and exercise discretion if the Judge\u2019s decision was based on incorrect principles or if exercise of discretion was plainly wrong. Parties should carefully consider their perception of judgments or decisions before proceeding to seek recusal.<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\"><strong><em>Joanne Brown and Kathy Siu<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you want to know more about the content of this article, please contact:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/our-people\/joanne-brown\/\">Joanne Brown<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Partner |\u00a0<a href=\"mailto:joannebrown@tannerdewitt.com\">Email<\/a><\/p>\n<p><em>Disclaimer: This publication is general in nature and is not intended to constitute legal advice. You should seek professional advice before taking any action in relation to the matters dealt with in this publication. This article was last updated<\/em>\u00a0<em>on 23 August 2024<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In the Family Court, it is common to see high conflict and long running cases. Parties may frequently feel aggrieved by strict case management decisions or substantive decisions made by Judge or a Master which may not be in their favour. In cases where bias is real or perceived, a party may make an application [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"tags":[],"insight-category":[1121],"insight-month":[1152],"insight-practice-area":[],"insight-year":[1159],"class_list":["post-29175","insight-and-news","type-insight-and-news","status-publish","hentry","insight-category-legal-updates-and-insights","insight-month-august","insight-year-1159"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/zh-hant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/insight-and-news\/29175","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/zh-hant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/insight-and-news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/zh-hant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/insight-and-news"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/zh-hant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/zh-hant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/insight-and-news\/29175\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30532,"href":"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/zh-hant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/insight-and-news\/29175\/revisions\/30532"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/zh-hant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29175"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/zh-hant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29175"},{"taxonomy":"insight-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/zh-hant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/insight-category?post=29175"},{"taxonomy":"insight-month","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/zh-hant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/insight-month?post=29175"},{"taxonomy":"insight-practice-area","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/zh-hant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/insight-practice-area?post=29175"},{"taxonomy":"insight-year","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/zh-hant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/insight-year?post=29175"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}