A new judge will join the second session of Tonga's Court of Appeal to be held next month.
Justice Ken Handley of Australia replaces Justice James Burchett who retires after 20 years of service.
The court will hear nine appeal cases, including one from a former Speaker of the Tonga Legislative Assembly, Lord Lasike.
A court official says the new judge would join Tonga's two other Court of Appeal judges, Justices Peter Salmon and Michael Moore.
Justice Handley served on the Fiji Court of Appeal from 1996 to 2003 and then on the Fiji Supreme Court until he was dismissed by the military government in 2009.