The first-generation Supreme Court Building was located on Pedder Street in Central,where the China Building stands today. In 1912,the court moved to the newly constructed Supreme Court building on Jackson Road,where it remained until 1983,when it was temporarily moved to the former French Mission Building for emergency repairs caused by the construction of the MTR. The Supreme Court then moved to the present building,now the High Court Building,in 1985.
The Supreme Court Building was renamed the High Court Building in 1997 following the Handover of Hong Kong. However,the road leading to its main entrance still bears the Supreme Court name.
Structure
The 20 storey building was built in 1985 as the home of the then Supreme Court of Hong Kong,which was renamed in 1997. The structure is a white clad tower and has a water fountain outside its front door. Demonstration and media coverage take place at the entrance of the building.
As of 2020,the building contains a total of 46 courtrooms,with plans to build an additional 6 civil courtrooms on the site of the High Court Library,which is to be relocated to the adjacent Queensway Government Offices.[1][2]
In January 2024,the Chief Justice announced plans for the new High Court complex to be built on the site of the adjacent Queensway Government Offices instead,while retaining the current High Court site as well. The current High Court Building is expected to be demolished and rebuilt after the opening of the new premises.[4][5]
In popular culture
While filming in courtrooms is not permitted,the exterior of the building,in particular its forecourt and water fountain,is frequently featured in legal and crime-themed films and television shows set in Hong Kong. Films and television shows featuring the building include The Prosecutor (2024),[6]A Guilty Conscience (2023),The Sparring Partner (2022),[7] and Legal Mavericks (2017).
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