Ribeiro

Permanent Judge of the Court of Final Appeal 202 cases

Ribeiro has 202 reported Hong Kong decisions (2000–2026) in the HKCFA.

About Ribeiro

Ribeiro has 202 reported Hong Kong decisions (2000–2026). These were decided across HKCFA (202). By subject matter, the largest shares are Basic Law (26), Crimes Ordinance (18) and Rules of the High Court (17). Of these, 202 sitting on the coram.

Source: derived from 202 published Hong Kong judgments, most recent decision 9 July 2026. Published on HKLII.

On the judicial record

Roberto Alexandre Vieira Ribeiro (李義), born 20 March 1949, is a Permanent Judge of the Court of Final Appeal, described as the longest serving judge on that court. He was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1990 and is a patron of the Oxford University Commonwealth Law Journal. His judicial career began with appointment as a Recorder of the High Court in 1997, followed by appointment as Judge of the High Court in 1999, promotion to Justice of Appeal in 2000, and appointment as a Permanent Judge of the Court of Final Appeal the same year. He received an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Hong Kong in 2019, having lectured there in law from 1972.

On the Court of Final Appeal, Ribeiro has presided over criminal appeals including HKSAR v. So Tsun Fung (蘇浚鋒) [2026] HKCFA 25, HKSAR v. Yu Lik Wai William (余力維) (and 1 other) [2026] HKCFA 22, and HKSAR v. Woo Wing See Phyllis (胡詠斯) [2026] HKCFA 19, alongside land and property appeals such as Well Honour Development Limited (安鴻發展有限公司) v. The Director of Lands of Lands Department Headquarters [2026] HKCFA 28 and [2026] HKCFA 23, and company and shareholder disputes including China Properties Group Limited v. JIC Trust Co., Ltd [2026] HKCFA 21 and Lam Yee Hung (林義雄) v. Chinachem Charitable Foundation Limited (華懋慈善基金有限公司) [2026] HKCFA 20.

Biography

Roberto Alexandre Vieira Ribeiro (Chinese: 李義, born 20 March 1949) is a Hong Kong judge and honorary lecturer in law at the University of Hong Kong. He is currently one of the three permanent judges for the Court of Final Appeal in Hong Kong, and is the longest serving judge in that court.

Source: en.wikipedia.org

Career Highlights

• He was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1990, and is a patron of the Oxford University Commonwealth Law Journal.
• Ribeiro quickly rose through the ranks, and was appointed Judge of the High Court in 1999, promoted to the Court of Appeal (High Court) as a Justice of Appeal in 2000, and a Permanent Judge of the Court of Final Appeal the same year.

Education

• received an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Hong Kong in 2019
• University of Hong Kong as a lecturer in 1972
• University Commonwealth Law Journal
• Inner Temple in London, and an Honorary Fellow of both the London School of Economics and St Hugh's College, Oxford

202

Total cases

Delivered

202

Sat on (coram)

Court

How many cases has Ribeiro decided?

Ribeiro has 202 reported Hong Kong decisions (2000–2026).

Which courts does Ribeiro sit in?

Ribeiro sits in HKCFA (202).

What is Ribeiro's position on the Court of Final Appeal?

Roberto Alexandre Vieira Ribeiro (李義) is a Permanent Judge of the Court of Final Appeal, appointed to that role in 2000 after serving as a Recorder of the High Court from 1997 and Justice of Appeal from 2000; he is described as the longest serving judge on the Court.

What kinds of appeals has Ribeiro presided over at the Court of Final Appeal?

Ribeiro has presided over criminal appeals such as HKSAR v. So Tsun Fung (蘇浚鋒) [2026] HKCFA 25, alongside land and property matters including Well Honour Development Limited v. The Director of Lands of Lands Department Headquarters [2026] HKCFA 28 and company disputes such as China Properties Group Limited v. JIC Trust Co., Ltd [2026] HKCFA 21.

What is Ribeiro's academic background?

Ribeiro was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1990 and received an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Hong Kong in 2019; he also lectured at the University of Hong Kong beginning in 1972 and is a patron of the Oxford University Commonwealth Law Journal.