Bernacchi Chambers Barrister Steven Kwan Sued By Other Lawyers 關文渭大律師俾人告 - HCA1990/2025

Bernacchi Chambers Barrister Steven Kwan Sued By Other Lawyers 關文渭大律師俾人告 - HCA1990/2025 - 暫委特委裁判官何麗明，於2018年審理一宗簡單及最高刑罰為罰款500港元的行人疏忽過路傳票案，卻花上91天才將案審結，最終案中女被告獲判無罪。但何拒絕向被告批出訟費，並指辯方2名律師誤導法庭及拖延審訊，下令支付共約62萬港元訟費給控方。上訴庭其後裁定兩名律師上訴得直，毋須支付訟費。該兩名律師於昨日(13日)入稟高院，指該宗疏忽過路案的主控及何麗明等在審訊中支持並鼓勵對方浪費法庭時間，而何官的訟費命令，令原告的職業聲譽受損，故要求賠償共2,140萬港元。原告為大律師梁耀祥和律師侯振輝，被告依次為該疏忽過路案的主控關文渭、負責該案的律政司人員、時任暫委特委裁判官何麗明及律政司司長。據入稟狀指，原告認為眾被告處理該宗疏忽過路案時應不偏不倚持續評估檢控是否符合公共利益，避免浪費法庭時間，但眾被告在審訊中重複證據及進行冗長且無關的盤問，拒絕簡化處理案件。原告又指何曾濫用司法權力，對該案被告Thapa Kamala和其法律團隊存在偏見，例如審訊時曾因Thapa遲到一分鐘而要求她交出保釋金100港元、重複提出就無關痛癢的法律議題陳詞，以及挑剔原告，甚至發表侮辱性言論。入稟狀又指控方案情薄弱，案件首次於裁判法院提堂時，但律政司仍然提告。原告指Thapa經審訊後獲無罪釋放，首三名被告卻濫用職權，故要求原告就審訊超時負責。而何麗明又向兩名原告頒下共約62萬港元訟費命令，令原告在其後的上訴過程中花費大量法律費用，職業聲譽和精神蒙受損失。原告最終要求各被告分別就瀆職、作惡意檢控、對原告懷有敵意等，作出賠償、懲罰性損害賠償、加重損害賠償等共2,140萬港元。https://buff.ly/jCZhimL - Barristers Kelvin Leung and How Chun-fai filed a writ on Tuesday claiming HK$21.4 million from parties including then-Deputy Special Magistrate Ho Lai-ming and Steven Kwan, a private lawyer who acted for the prosecution, saying they had damaged their reputations.  The two barristers’ claim relates to a jaywalking case more than nine years ago, in which defendant Kamala Thapa was accused of jaywalking outside the American Club in Tai Tam in April 2016.  The trial, which ended in Thapa’s acquittal, took place over two years from January 2018 to October 2019. The proceedings themselves lasted 91 days, far beyond the originally allotted two days.  Former magistrate Ho said at the end of the trial that the defence had wasted the court’s time and ordered it to pay around HK$620,000 to the prosecution.  On Tuesday, Leung and How filed a writ in turn saying they were entitled to a claim of HK$21.4 million from the prosecutors and magistrate Ho, as well as their employers the Department of Justice.  The barristers said the prosecution drew upon unnecessary and redundant evidence, and accused magistrate Ho of judicial misconduct and abuse of power.  The writ also cited an incident where Ho ordered Thapa to pay a HK$100 cash bail for arriving to court a minute late, and another where she called the two barristers “good boy.” Ho made insulting remarks, hindering the two lawyers’ defence, they said.  The two lawyers filed claims for damages to their personal and professional reputations, emotional distress, and punitive damages for the conduct of the defendants, as well as claims for the legal proceedings relating to the previous costs order at the Court of Final Appeal. - https://hongkongfp.com/2025/10/15/hong-kong-barristers-order-judge-prosecution-to-pay-hk20m-for-allegedly-dragging-out-91-day-jaywalking-trial/?fbclid=IwY2xjawNcdrJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFTQTRZQ2RicVdLaFJzaWVVAR6hEvCCDdlFdm7cXzZ2YRiedJzfHWInldNMOQfw-wLQBzgtFdiBQxLstyUA-Q_aem_vkZ0hnKAEzunTPu7AK3E5g