"Taiwan’s New Adversarial System and the Overlooked Challenge of Efficiency-Driven Reforms" by Margaret K. Lewis

I just read a very good article by MARGARET K. LEWIS about the evolving criminal justice system in Taiwan.

The article can be found here.


Article is from the Virginia Journal of International Law, Vol. 49-3

"Lesson in Integrity for All" by Professor Jerome A. Cohen‏

A very interesting article, "Lesson in Integrity for All" by Professor Jerome A. Cohen‏ was published recently.

English

Chinese

The Courts of the R.O.C. II

Original post by www.taiwanlawresources.com

High and Supreme Courts

The Supreme Court of the R.O.C.

Taiwan High Court

Taiwan High Court Taichung Branch Court

Taiwan High Court Tainan Branch Court

Taiwan High Court Kaohsiung Branch Court

Taiwan High Court Hualien Branch Court

Fujian High Court Kinmen Branch Court

District Courts

Taiwan Taibei District Court

Taiwan Shihlin District Court

Taiwan Banciao District Court

Taiwan Taoyuan District Court

Taiwan Hsinchu District Court

Taiwan Miaoli District Court

Taiwan Taicheng District Court

Taiwan Nantou District Court

Taiwan Changhua District Court

Taiwan Yunlin District Court

Taiwan Chiayi District Court

Taiwan Tainan District Court

Taiwan Kaohsiung District Court

Taiwan Pingtung District Court

Taiwan Taitung District Court

Taiwan Hualien District Court

Taiwan Yilan District Court

Taiwan Keelung District Court

Taiwan Penghu District Court

Fujian Kinmen District Court

Administrative Courts

The Supreme Administrative Court

Taibei High Administrative Court

Taichung High Administrative Court

Kaohsiung High Administrative Court

Commission on the Disciplinary Sanctions of Functionaries

Links at www.taiwanlawresources.com

Legal Aid Foundation II

Original post by www.taiwanlawresources.com

In July 1999, the National Judicial Reform Conference approved the agenda to promote the creation of a legal aid system in Taiwan.

Legal Aid Foundation

Legal Aid Foundation Blog

The Courts of the R.O.C.

Original post by www.taiwanlawresources.com

High and Supreme Courts

The Supreme Court of the R.O.C.

Taiwan High Court

Taiwan High Court Taichung Branch Court

Taiwan High Court Tainan Branch Court

Taiwan High Court Kaohsiung Branch Court

Taiwan High Court Hualien Branch Court

Fujian High Court Kinmen Branch Court

District Courts

Taiwan Taibei District Court

Taiwan Shihlin District Court

Taiwan Banciao District Court

Taiwan Taoyuan District Court

Taiwan Hsinchu District Court

Taiwan Miaoli District Court

Taiwan Taicheng District Court

Taiwan Nantou District Court

Taiwan Changhua District Court

Taiwan Yunlin District Court

Taiwan Chiayi District Court

Taiwan Tainan District Court

Taiwan Kaohsiung District Court

Taiwan Pingtung District Court

Taiwan Taitung District Court

Taiwan Hualien District Court

Taiwan Yilan District Court

Taiwan Keelung District Court

Taiwan Penghu District Court

Fujian Kinmen District Court

Administrative Courts

The Supreme Administrative Court

Taibei High Administrative Court

Taichung High Administrative Court

Kaohsiung High Administrative Court

Commission on the Disciplinary Sanctions of Functionaries

Links at www.taiwanlawresources.com

Legal Aid Foundation

Original post by www.taiwanlawresources.com

In July 1999, the National Judicial Reform Conference approved the agenda to promote the creation of a legal aid system in Taiwan.

Legal Aid Foundation

Legal Aid Foundation Blog

The Judicial Yuan 2

Original post by www.taiwanlawresources.com

Article 78 of the Constitution of the ROC states:

司法院解釋憲法，並有統一解釋法律及命令之權。
The Judicial Yuan shall interpret the Constitution and shall have the power to unify the interpretation of laws and orders.

Vocabulary                                                                                                           
司法院  [Sīfǎyuàn]  /Judicial yuan/
解釋  [jiěshì]  /explanation/to explain/to interpret/to resolve/
憲法  [xiànfǎ]  /constitution (of a country)/
並  [bìng]  /and/furthermore/simultaneously/also/together with/
有  [yǒu]  /to have/there is/there are/to exist/to be/
統一  [tǒngyī]  /to unify/to unite/to integrate/
法律  [fǎlü] /law/
及  [jí]  /and/
命令  [mìnglìng]  /(an) order or command/
之  [zhī]  /(literary equivalent of 的)/
權  [quán]  /authority/power/right/


This article gives the Judicial Yuan the power to 'interpret' the constitution and the power to 'unify the interpretatin of laws and orders'.  I would like to explore this further.

Relevant issues pertaining to procedures for interpreting the constitution and uniform interpretation of Laws and Statutes can be found in Chapter 2 of the Constitutional Interpretation Procedure Act.

Article 4 states:
The matters for which the Justices shall interpret the Constitution are as follows:
1. Matters concerning doubts and ambiguities in the application of the Constitution;
2. Matters concerning the constitutionality of statutes or regulations;
or
3. Matters concerning the constitutionality of laws and regulations promulgated by the
self-government provinces and counties.

Article 5 states:
A petition for an interpretation of the Constitution may be filed under one of the following circumstances:
1.When a government  agency, in carrying out its function and duty, has
doubt about the meaning of a constitutional provision; or, when a
government agency conflicts with other agencies in the application of
a constitutional provision; or, when a government agency has
questions about the constitutionality of a statute or regulation at
issue;

2.When an individual, a legal entity, or a political party, whose
constitutional  right was infringed upon and remedies provided by law
for such infringement had been exhausted, has questions on the
constitutionality of the statute or regulation relied thereupon by
the court of last resort in its final judgment; or

3.When one-third of the Legislators or more have doubt about the
meanings of a constitutional  provision governing their functions and
duties, or question on the constitutionality of a statute at issue,
and have therefor initiated a petition. (help me with the chinese on this ending part)


Article 7 states:
Petition for Uniform Interpretation of Statutes and Regulations
1.When a government agency, in carrying out its function and duty, has
an opinion on a statute or regulation different from another agency, or
another branch of the same agency;  provided, however, that said agency
shall not be subordinated to, or bound by the opinion of another agency
or branch; or

2.When an individual, a legal entity, or a political party, whose right
was infringed upon and remedies provided by law for such infringement
had been exhausted, in good conscience feels that the court in rendering
its final decision has construed the statute or regulation at issue
different from those expressed by other judicial  bodies in
their precedents.  However, this provision shall not apply, if the
case is still appealable,  or the precedent has already been
overruled.

The types of ‘judgements’ are as follows:
解釋  [jiěshì] Interpretations
判例  [pànlì]  Precident
裁判  [cáipàn]  Judgement
決議  [juéyì]  Resolution
統一解釋  [tongyijieshi]  Uniform Interpretation
議決  [yìjué]  Resolution

The Judicial Yuan

Original post by www.taiwanlawresources.com

The Judicial Yuan



Article 77 of The Constitution of the ROC states:

第 77 條            
司法院為國家最高司法機關，掌理民事、刑事、行政訴訟之審判及公務員
之懲戒。
Article   77
The Judicial Yuan shall be the highest judicial organ of the State and shall have charge of civil, criminal, and administrative cases, and over cases concerning disciplinary measures against public functionaries.

Vocabulary                                                                                                           
司法院  [Sīfǎyuàn]  /Judicial Yuan/
為  [wéi]  /是/is/
國家  [guójiā]  /country/nation/
最高  [zuìgāo]  /highest/highest-level/
機關  [jīguān]  /organ/mechanism/
掌理  [zhǎnglǐ]  /in charge of/
民事  [mínshì]  /civil affairs/
刑事  [xíngshì]  /criminal/penal/
行政  [xíngzhèng]  /administration/administrative/
訴訟  [sùsòng]  /lawsuit/case/
之  [zhī]  /(literary equivalent of 的)/
審判  [shěnpàn]  /put (someone) to trial/
及  [jí]  /and/
公務員  [gōngwùyuán]  /(n) functionary/office-bearer/civil servant/
懲戒 [chéngjiè]  /to discipline/reprimand/


The Judicial Yuan oversees the court system of Taiwan. 
In general, the Judicial Yuan exercises:
1. The Power to Interpret
2. The Power to Adjudicate
3. The Power to Discipline
4. The Power of Judicial Administration

 
The Judical Yuan derives the above mentioned powers from:
The Constitution
The Organic Act of the Judicial Yuan
The Constitutional Interpretation Procedure Act
The Organic Act of the Administrative Court

The Organic Act of the Commission on the Disciplinary Sanction of Functionaries


The court system of the Judical Yuan are comprised of the following:
1. The Supreme Court
2. High Courts and their Branches
3. District Courts
4.The Supreme Administrative Court
5. High Administrative Courts
6. The Commission on the Disciplinary Sanctions of Functionaries

Intellectual Property Court

Original post by www.taiwanlawresources.com

Intellectual Property Court Will Be Formally Established on July 1, the Judicial Yuan announcement can be found here.

The opening ceremony will be this Tuesday, information can be found here. (Chinese)

The Intellectual Property Court Organization Act and Intellectual Property Case Adjudication Act were promulgated by the President in March 28 last year; other related draft regulations, including the Rules for the Adjudication of Intellectual Property Cases and Enforcement Rules for the Intellectual Property Case Adjudication Act, were completed and announced at the end of January.

More information about IP in taiwan can be found here.

Taiwan Prosecutors Office

Original post by www.taiwanlawresources.com

The Establishment of Prosecutorial Agency In the Republic of China, on behalf of the State, the prosecutor performs the function of prosecution and the execution of criminal penalty in order to protect the rights and interests of people and maintain the legal interests of the nation and society. In a criminal proceeding, the prosecutors’ office, acting as the instigator of the action, and the court which is in charge of trial, are two opposing bodies with independent and separate functions. According to the Law more......

Public Service Petition Procedure Flowchart

Taiwan's most rockin' Prosecutors Office can be found here.

Ministry of Justice Website

A chart of the basic functioning of a Prosecutors Office can be found here.

Links to Prosecutors Offices:

Taipei District Prosecutors Office

http://www.tpc.moj.gov.tw/

ShihLin District Prosecutors Office
http://www.slc.moj.gov.tw/

Banciao District Prosecutors Office
http://www.pcc.moj.gov.tw/

Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office
http://www.tyc.moj.gov.tw/

Hsinchu District Prosecutors Office
http://www.scc.moj.gov.tw/

Miaoli District Prosecutors Office
http://www.mlc.moj.gov.tw/

Taichung District Prosecutors Office
http://www.tcc.moj.gov.tw/

Nantou District Prosecutors Office
http://www.ntc.moj.gov.tw/

Changhua District Prosecutors Office
http://www.chc.moj.gov.tw/

Yunlin District Prosecutors Office
http://www.ulc.moj.gov.tw/

Chiayi District Prosecutors Office
http://www.cyc.moj.gov.tw/

Tainan District Prosecutors Office
http://www.tnc.moj.gov.tw/

Kaohsiung District Prosecutors Office
http://www.ksc.moj.gov.tw/

Pingtung District Prosecutors Office
http://www.ptc.moj.gov.tw/

Taitung District Prosecutors Office
http://www.ttc.moj.gov.tw/

Hualien District Prosecutors Office
http://www.hlc.moj.gov.tw/

Yilan District Prosecutors Office
http://www.ilc.moj.gov.tw/

Keelung District Prosecutors Office
http://www.klc.moj.gov.tw/

Penghu District Prosecutors Office
http://www.phc.moj.gov.tw/