LexisNexis Hong Kong Launches 12th Edition of Landmark Criminal Law Reference Sentencing in Hong Kong

New edition reflects major developments in Hong Kong sentencing law, including dangerous drug trafficking guidelines and national security offences

Hong Kong, 8 July 2026 – LexisNexis Hong Kong today announced the launch of Sentencing in Hong Kong – Twelfth Edition, the latest edition of one of Hong Kong’s most established and authoritative criminal law references, at a cocktail reception held in Hong Kong on 8 July 2026.

First published in 1994, Sentencing in Hong Kong has served the legal community for more than three decades by bringing together the principles, procedures and case law that shape sentencing practice in Hong Kong. The Twelfth Edition follows the Eleventh Edition released in 2024 and reflects the continued development of sentencing law across a rapidly evolving legal landscape.

Written by I Grenville Cross GBS, SC, and Patrick WS Cheung, the publication is widely relied upon by practitioners, judicial officers, prosecutors, defence counsel, academics, researchers and students. The work has also benefited from the long-standing contribution of Elaine YL Tsui, whom Mr Cross recognised at the launch as having been “pivotal to the project’s success.”

Speaking at the launch, Mr Cross reflected on the origins of the title and the importance of Hong Kong having its own sentencing reference grounded in local case law.

“In my early years in Hong Kong, there was no local text on sentencing,” said I Grenville Cross GBS, SC, author of Sentencing in Hong Kong. “Over time, this became increasingly unsatisfactory, and it became obvious that Hong Kong needed to have a text of its own.”

Mr Cross added that the need for a local reference was “fully justified by the body of local case law that had developed over the years,” and noted that “Hong Kong deserved its own sentencing text.”

The Twelfth Edition includes significant updates on the latest sentencing guidelines for trafficking in cocaine, heroin and ice, new approaches to aggravating and mitigating factors, the calculation of sentences for multiple offences, remission, and sentencing for national security offences. As Mr Cross observed at the launch, “sentencing never stands still,” and the latest edition incorporates “changes aplenty” since the previous edition.

The launch reception brought together distinguished guests from across Hong Kong’s legal community, including representatives from the judiciary, the Department of Justice, the legal profession, academia and other sectors. Mr Cross noted that sentencing “is an issue that affects society as a whole” and “should, therefore, be of interest to everybody.”

Speaking at the launch, Mr Michael Sit, Managing Director, Greater China, LexisNexis, paid tribute to the authors and contributors behind the publication. He noted that the title has grown from a 128-page First Edition in 1994 to a 976-page Twelfth Edition, reflecting “more than 30 years of legal development, new judgments, emerging issues, changes in practice and the accumulated experience of our courts and the legal profession.”

“Every new edition represents much more than the publication of another legal text,” said Mr Sit. “It reflects a long-standing partnership with distinguished authors, our commitment to supporting Hong Kong’s legal profession, and our shared belief in the importance of trusted legal knowledge.”

Dr Horace Cheung, SBS, JP, Deputy Secretary for Justice, who delivered a speech as Guest of Honour, highlighted the role of sentencing in maintaining public confidence in the administration of criminal justice. He noted that sentencing is “never a mere technical exercise in calculating penalties” and that Sentencing in Hong Kong has, since its first edition, served as “an indispensable guide for legal practitioners.”

As legal research continues to evolve, LexisNexis Hong Kong also announced that it has been working with Mr Cross and Mr Cheung to develop Sentencing in Hong Kong Online, which will soon be available through Lexis+® with Protégé. The digital version will bring the title’s respected analysis into a more connected research experience, while preserving the depth, authority and practical guidance that have defined the publication for more than three decades.

LexisNexis Hong Kong congratulates I Grenville Cross GBS, SC, and Patrick WS Cheung, on the publication of Sentencing in Hong Kong – Twelfth Edition, and recognises the contribution of Elaine YL Tsui to the development of the title.

Sentencing in Hong Kong - Twelfth Edition is available now on the LexisNexis Online Store