Judicial Yuan

Judicial Yuan
Constitutional Court
司法院
Established 1937
Country  Republic of China
Location Taipei, Taiwan
Composition method Presidential nomination with Legislative Yuan confirmation
Authorized by Constitution of the Republic of China
Judge term length 4 or 8 years
Number of positions 15
Website www.judicial.gov.tw
President and Chief Justice
Currently Rai Hau-min
Since 13 October 2010
Vice President
Currently Su Yeong-chin
Since 13 October 2010
Judicial Yuan
Chinese 司法院

The Judicial Yuan (Chinese: 司法院; pinyin: Sīfǎ Yuàn; Wade–Giles: Szu1-fa3 Yüan4; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Su-hoat Īⁿ) is one of five branches of the Government of the Republic of China on Taiwan and serves as the highest judicial organ in the Republic of China.[1] Its Justices of the Constitutional Court (大法官會議, literally ‘Council of Grand Justices’), with 15 members,[2] is charged with interpreting the Constitution.[1] The President and Vice President of the Judicial Yuan are chosen from among the Honorable Justices by the President. Eight of the grand justices, including the president and vice president of the Judicial Yuan, serve four-year terms, and the remaining Honorable Justices serve eight-year terms.[2]

The Judicial Yuan also supervises the lower courts, which consist of the Supreme Court, the high courts, district courts, the Administrative Court, and the Commission on the Disciplinary Sanctions of Public Functionaries.[1]

According to Articles 77 and 78 of the Constitution of the Republic of China,[1] Article 5 of the Additional Articles of the Constitution,[2] Articles 30, 43, and 75 of the Local Government Systems Act, the major functions of the Judicial Yuan are as follows:[3]

District Courts

Hualien District Court

There are currently 21 District Courts (Chinese: 地方法院; pinyin: Dìfāng Fǎyuàn) in Taiwan:[4]

Each District Court may establish one or more summary divisions for the adjudication of cases suitable for summary judgment. The civil summary procedure is for cases involving an amount in controversys of not more than 300,000 New Taiwan dollar and for simple legal disputes.[4] Currently there are a total of 45 divisions in Taiwan.[4] Additionally, there is a Taiwan Kaohsiung Juvenile Court, established in accordance with the Law Governing the Disposition of Juvenile Cases.[4]

Each of the District Courts has civil, criminal and summary divisions and may establish specialized divisions to handle cases involving juveniles, family, traffic, and labor matters as well as motions to set aside rulings on violations of the Statute for the Maintenance of Social Order.[4] Each division has a Division Chief Judge who supervises and assigns the business of the division. Each District Court has a Public Defenders' Office and a Probation Officers' Office.[4]

A single judge hears and decides cases in ordinary and summary proceedings as well as in small claims cases.[4] A panel of three judges decides cases of great importance in ordinary proceedings as well as appeals or interlocutory appeals from the summary and small claims proceedings.[4] Criminal cases are decided by a panel of three judges, with the exception of summary proceedings which may be held by a single judge.[4] The Juvenile Court hears and decides only cases involving juveniles.[4]

High Courts

Tainan High Court

There is one High Court (Chinese: 高等法院; pinyin: Gāoděng Fǎyuàn) in the Taiwan area with four branch courts in Taichung (台中), Tainan (臺南), Kaohsiung (高雄), and Hualien (花蓮). In the Fuchien area, there is a Kinmen Branch Court of the Fuchien High Court. The High Courts and its branches exercise jurisdiction over the following cases:[5]

The High Courts and its Branch Courts are divided into civil, criminal and specialized divisions. Each Division is composed of one Division Chief Judge and two Associate Judges. Additionally, the High Court and its Branch Courts have a Clerical Bureau, which is headed by a Chief Clerk who assists the President with administrative affairs.[5]

Cases before the High Courts or its Branch Courts are heard and decided by a panel of three judges. However, one of the judges may conduct preparatory proceedings.[5]

The Court has seven civil courts, each of which has one presiding judge and three judges to handle civil appeals of the second instance and counter-appeal cases under the system of collegial panels, but they do not deal with simple litigation. The Court has eleven criminal courts, each of which has one presiding judge and two or three judges to handle criminal appeals of the second instance and counter-appeal cases under the system of collegial panels as well as litigation of the first instance concerning civil strife, foreign aggression or violation of foreign relations. Based on various needs, the Court manages several professional courts such as the Professional Court of Fair Trade Cases, Family Professional Court, Professional Court of International Trade, Maritime Professional Court, Professional Court of State Compensation, Professional Court of Anti-corruption, Professional Court of Intellectual Property Rights, Professional Court of Juvenile Delinquency, Professional Court of Serious Criminal Cases, Professional Court of Public Security, Professional Court of Fair Trade Act, Professional Court of Sexual Harassment, etc.[5]

Supreme Court

Supreme Court

The Supreme Court (Chinese: 最高法院; pinyin: Zuìgāo Fǎyuàn) is the court of last resort for civil and criminal cases. Except for civil cases involving amounts not exceeding NT $1,500,000 and petty offences enumerated in Article 376 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, any civil or criminal case may be appealed to the Court. This Court exercises jurisdiction over the following cases:

Administrative Courts

The current administrative litigation system adopts a "Two Level Two Instance System" litigation procedure. The administrative courts are classified into the High Administrative Court, which is the court of first instance, and the Supreme Administrative Court, which is the appellate court. The first instance of the High Administrative Court is a trial of facts. The Supreme Administrative Court is an appellate court.

Judges

Article 80 of the Constitution states that Judges shall be above partisanship and shall, in accordance with law, hold trials independently, free from any interference.[1] Furthermore, Article 81 states that Judges shall hold office for life.[1] No judge shall be removed from office unless he has been guilty of a criminal offense or subjected to disciplinary measure, or declared to be under interdiction.[1] No judge shall, except in accordance with law, be suspended or transferred or have his salary reduced.[1] Judges shall be appointed from those persons who have passed the Examination of Judicial Officials, completed the Training Course for Judicial Officials and possessed distinguished records after a term of practice.[3]

Justices of the Constitutional Court

The Constitutional Court of the Republic of China consists of 15 justices.
The Judicial Yuan Building in Taipei houses the Constitutional Court.

The Justices of the Constitutional Court (also known as the Council of Grand Justices) provides rulings on the following four categories of cases:

  1. Interpretation of the Constitution;
  2. Uniform Interpretation of Statutes and Regulations;
  3. Impeachment of President and Vice President of the Republic of China; and
  4. Declaring the dissolution of political parties in violation of the Constitution.[1][2]

A petition for an interpretation of the Constitution shall be filed in the following circumstances:[3]

List of Justices of the Constitutional Court

The Justices are:[6]

List of Presidents of the Judicial Yuan

Rai Hau-min, the current President of the Judicial Yuan.

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Judicial Yuan.
Wikibooks has a book on the topic of: Annotated Republic of China Laws/Additional Articles of the Constitution of the Republic of China/Article 5

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 See ZHONGHUA MINGUO XIANFA (Constitution of the Republic of China) (Taiwan) arts. 77-82, available at http://www.judicial.gov.tw/constitutionalcourt/EN/p07_2.asp?lawno=36 (last visited Mar. 28, 2012)
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 See ZHONGHUA MINGUO XIANFA ZHENGXIU TIAOWEN (The Additional Articles of the Constitution of the Republic of China) (Taiwan) art. 5, available at http://www.judicial.gov.tw/constitutionalcourt/EN/p07_2.asp?lawno=98 (last visited Mar. 28, 2012)
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 See Structure and Functions of the Judicial Yuan, available at http://www.judicial.gov.tw/en/english/aboutus/aboutus04/aboutus04-03.asp (last visited Mar. 28, 2012)
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 See, Taipei District Court, About Us - Organization,http://tpd.judicial.gov.tw/indexen.asp?struID=52&navID=53&contentID=125 (last visited Mar. 28, 2012)
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 See, Taiwan High Court, available athttp://tph.judicial.gov.tw/en/default.htm (last visited Mar. 28, 2012)
  6. ↑ See Justices of the Constitutional Court, available at http://www.judicial.gov.tw/constitutionalcourt/EN/p01_03.asp (last visited Mar. 28, 2012)

External links