[Event] Civil Retrial Hearing in the Chen Ching-Kai Case - Court Observer Recruitment

Former national handball player Chen Ching-Kai was seriously injured in a traffic accident in 2009 while studying at National Changhua University of Education. After the accident, his vision deteriorated until the world became a blur, abruptly ending both his national-team athletic career and his dream of becoming a physical-education teacher.

Chen gradually came to terms with his visual impairment and worked hard to rebuild his life. Yet judges concluded that he was not blind and had "faked blindness" to defraud insurers simply because he could still catch a Frisbee, play ball, and write.

That conclusion stood despite strong evidence from an assessment by National Taiwan University, diagnostic reports from multiple hospitals, and testimony from an orientation-and-mobility instructor who works with blind people. Chen was sentenced to one year and two months in prison. After the criminal judgment became final, three insurers-Nan Shan Life (his high-school policy), Mingtai Fire & Marine Insurance (the other driver's compulsory automobile liability insurer), and Cathay Life Insurance (his student insurance through National Changhua University of Education)-filed civil actions seeking repayment of insurance benefits.

After JRF took up Chen's case, the legal team pursued remedies in both the criminal and civil proceedings. His petitions for criminal retrial, however, have twice been denied.

On August 27, 2020, the Civil Division of the Taiwan High Court Kaohsiung Branch Court ruled for Chen Ching-Kai in the civil retrial proceeding involving Mingtai Fire & Marine Insurance, holding that he did not have to return the insurance benefits.
On December 9, 2020, the retrial proceeding between Cathay Life Insurance and Chen Ching-Kai will proceed to oral argument. Everyone is welcome to attend as a court observer.

Register Online

Time

December 9, 2020 (Wed.), 2:40 p.m.

Meeting Point

East Entrance on Nanping Road, Taiwan High Court Kaohsiung Branch Court
(No. 586, Mingcheng 3rd Rd., Gushan Dist., Kaohsiung City)

Schedule

14:40-15:00 Gather and Case Briefing
15:00-16:00 Observe the Hearing (Civil Courtroom No. 3, Taiwan High Court Kaohsiung Branch Court)
16:00-16:30 Post-Hearing Discussion and Q&A

Notes

• The actual hearing time may vary depending on the court's schedule.
• To comply with COVID-19 precautions, please wear a mask while observing the hearing.