delegates such power to the courts of Hong Kong for interpretation while handling court cases. Although this arrangement has attracted criticism of "undermining judicial independence", an interpretation by the NPCSC does not affect any court judgments already rendered. This practice is highly controversial as it contradicts the power of final adjudication; the first time an interpretation occurred in 1999, all five judges (including the Chief Justice, all three permanent justices and one non-permanent justice) involved in the case of Ng Ka Ling v Director of Immigration reportedly considered quitting the top court in protest. Instances of Article 158 interpretations are as follows: 1999: Right of abode in Hong Kong 2004: Modifying the process of electoral reforms regarding the election of the Hong Kong Chief Executive (Basic Law Article 45 and 2005 Hong Kong Chief Executive election) 2005: Dealing with an incomplete term of a Chief Executive 2011: State immunity and the jurisdiction of Hong Kong courts 2016: Legislative Council oath-taking controversy 2022: Participation of overseas solicitors and barristers in national security law cases (Jimmy Lai's hiring of Tim Owen KC) Kemal Bokhary replacement In 2012, Permanent Judge Kemal Bokhary - known as a leading liberal and dissenting voice on the Court - did not have his tenure extended past the mandated retirement age of 65. His replacement, however, was 65-year old Robert Tang, who was even older than Bokhary but was seen as more conservative. China's National Security Law Resignation of non-permanent judges No non-permanent judge from overseas jurisdictions had ever quit the Court mid-term before the enactment of the National Security Law. In September 2020, then-non-permanent judge James Spigelman resigned in response to China's controversial National Security Law being imposed on Hong Kong, but Spigelman did not elaborate further. In March 2022, both Lord Reed and Lord Hodge resigned as non-permanent judges, citing the National Security Law leading to the judges being unable to "continue to sit in Hong Kong without appearing to endorse an administration which has departed from values of political freedom, and freedom of expression, to which the Justices of the Supreme Court are deeply committed." In November 2022, Lady Hale - who had refused to renew her tenure on the Court in 2020 - suggested that British judges should leave the CFA. Counsel for national security defendants Within hours of the CFA allowing media tycoon Jimmy Lai to hire Tim Owen KC, chief executive John