For better treatments and cares fitting the needs of children and families in the judicial proceedings, and the protection of children’s right to a wholesome family, which ensured better chances for full and healthy developments, the Judicial Yuan, in response to the campaign of Universal Children’s Day, held the seminar on children’s rights month series, focusing on issues concerning children under our judicial system and the court practice about minors.
The Administrative Litigation Act in Taiwan has derived from German law systems considerably. In 2002, the Judicial Yuan had translated the book ” Code of Administrative Court Procedure: Explained Clause by Clause” and published its Chinese version. However, since then the book has been revised four times, and the Code of Administrative Court Procedure in Germany has also been through amendments 45 times during these years. To comprehend the newest trends of administrative litigation in Germany, with the authorization of the author, President Hsu has invited 32 scholars who have studied laws in Germany to form the translation panel. And it only takes no more than two years to complete the translation, which would be the most valuable gift to the 20th anniversary of our new administrative litigation system.
The new system of administrative litigation came into effect on July 1, 2000, including the transformation of the former Administrative Court into the Supreme Administrative Court, the establishing of Taipei, Taichung, and Kaoshiung High Administrative Court, and the expansion of the Administrative Litigation Act from 34 articles to 308 articles. These changes established the position of administrative litigation to protect human rights and ensure the legitimacy of executing administrative power. In celebration of the 20th anniversary, the Judicial Yuan, in association with the Supreme Administrative Court, three High Administrative Courts, and Judges Academy, would hold the conference in Judges Academy from November 2 to 6.
To inspire the mediators of family matters to engage more in the mediation business, Judicial Yuan selects mediators with outstanding performances from each court, based on the Guideline of Commendation for Mediators of Family Matters at Courts. This year on November 2, 6 mediators of family matters received this award, honoring their prominent contribution in 2019.
At the second-time collaboration, this year the joint opening press conference of the 2020 Judicial Film Festival X Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival, hosted by President Hsu Tzong-Li, conducted the introduction of the storyline and discussion about the film to erase the boundaries between the public and the Judiciary.
To improve the environment and measures for children’s court attendance, Judicial Yuan held a public hearing on “ Making the Environment of Courts More Child-friendly and the Implementation” on October 15, 2020. Also, Judicial Yuan explained their aspiration and provided complete documents for a further examination assisted by the participants. Based on domestic and foreign research and personal experiences or observation, scholars, representatives on children’s rights protection, and civil groups expressed their opinions on the pressure that children could encounter in court attendance and the possible solutions.
In celebration of the 75th Judicial Day, the Judicial Yuan, Ministry of Justice, and Taiwan Bar Association jointly held a seminar in the conference hall of the National Central Library on January 14, discussing the issues as follows: the online practice regarding comprehensive prevention of juvenile delinquency; from crime prevention to protection on the right of development for teenagers; preliminary counseling system on risk exposure teenagers. Also, President Hsu Tzong-Li attended the seminar and delivered remarks in the opening.
Hosted by Vice President Tsai Jeong-Duen, the seminar invited professor Hsieh Ju-Yuan at National Chengchi University, College of Law, to lecture on “From Crime Prevention to Ensuring the Right of Full and Healthy Self-development for the Youth-Comments on Recent Moves Regarding the Juvenile Legal System in Japan,” with commentators associate professor Hsieh Yu-Wei at National Taiwan University, College of Law, and President of Taiwan Kaoshiung Juvenile and Family Court Chung Tsung-Lin.
District courts all around the country hosted “the certificate award ceremony for members of the labor mediation committee” on the first business day(January 2, 2020) after the Labor Incident Act had come into effect. Secretary-General Lin Hui-Huang, Deputy Secretary-General Yeh Li-Hsia, and Director-General of the department of civil affairs Li Kuo-Tseng attended the ceremony to give speeches in Taipei, Taichung, and Kaoshiung district court respectively, not only showing gratitude to the dedication of the committee’s members but also demonstrating the Judicial Yuan’s close attention to the enforcement of the Labor Incident Act and the result of preparation.
To assist in implementing “the management system on judicial assistants in affiliates of the Judicial Yuan” and let each court learn more about the system’s newly added features and the E-management policy, the Judicial Yuan held a promotion conference in Taipei district court on December 6, 2019, hosted by Deputy Secretary-General Yeh Li-Hsia. Director-General of the IT department Wang Chin-Lung and Judge Chiou Shih-Pin were invited to give lectures.
To reinforce the subjectivity of children’s rights and safeguard the core value of youth protection: “having a full and healthy self-development,” Judicial Yuan held the “children’s rights month series seminar-the juvenile topic,” inviting Legislator Lee Li-Feng, Director of Social and Family Affairs Administration, Ministry of Health and Welfare Chien Hui-Jiuan, Secretary-General of Taiwan Alliance for Advancement of Youth Rights and Welfare Yeh Ta-Hua to join the discussion. Secretary-General Lin Hui-Huang attended and addressed a remark.
In collaboration with Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival for the first time, this year the joint opening press conference of Judicial Film Festival X Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival, hosted by President Hsu Tzong-Li, worked on delivering the original intention of “discovering everyday legal issues through cinematic experiences, and bridging conversations between law and the society via image.”
In 2017, hosted by the second subcommittee of the National Conference on Judicial Reform, the discussion of constructing specialized courts concluded to initiate the establishment of commercial courts. Meanwhile, the Judicial Yuan had already conducted field trips to countries in Europe, the U.S, and Japan to survey the establishment of professional commercial courts and the relevant system, holding several consulting meetings and collecting different voices. On July 11, 2018, the Judicial Yuan had set up “the research and enactment committee of Commercial Case Adjudication Act,” hosting meetings frequently for further discussion since July 26, then in March 2019, the initial proposal on “the bill of Commercial Case Adjudication Act” was completed, with 81 articles in total.
