2023 Rule of Law Literacy Classroom: Practice Exercises for Future Lay Judges

Since the citizen participation in criminal trials system came into effect on January 1 of this year, verdicts from lay judge courts have been successively rendered. Alongside ongoing cases, there have also been several applications to exclude the lay judge procedure. Determining guilt and sentencing are the two major tasks for lay judges during trials.

Highlighting the initial trends and critical issues of the system observed through numerous court observations is the main focus of this event. We aim to help legal novices grasp the fundamental principles of criminal trials while outlining the key factors for appropriate sentencing decisions, including case typification and anchoring points, basic knowledge of sentencing and parole, and pre-sentencing social investigations and evaluations. Through role-playing in a simulated courtroom, we will guide participants through a process of legal critical thinking.

If you are interested in learning about the lay judge system, willing to practice how to be a critical lay judge through simulated court exercises, or are an educator or teacher-training student reflecting on the system of citizen participation in trials, you are welcome to sign up for this workshop. Together, we can create future opportunities for students to think critically and practice the spirit of deliberative democracy.

Register Now

When filling out the registration form, we cordially invite you to use the "Pre-event Questions" field to briefly introduce yourself, share your motivation for attending, the information you hope to gain, how you plan to take subsequent actions or extensions, or raise any questions. This will help us achieve even better results in the event's preparation and the breakout sessions on the day.

Time

Saturday, October 14, 2023, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM (Admission and registration open at 9:40 AM)

Location

10th Floor, No. 157, Yishin 2nd Rd., Chienchen Dist., Kaohsiung City (Taiwan Association for Human Rights, Southern Office)

Speakers

Lin Tzu-Wei (Legal Officer, Taiwan Alliance to End the Death Penalty)

Ch'en Yü-Ch'ing, Esq. (Executive Committee Member, Judicial Reform Foundation)

Yang Yen (Legal Specialist, Taiwan Alliance to End the Death Penalty)
 

Moderator

Pan Pei-Chen (Judicial Reform Foundation)
 

Event Contents

Introduction to the Lay Assessor System | Special Lecture
Simulated Lay Judge Court | Hands-on Activity
Lay Judge Court Observation | Perspectives and Viewpoints
 

Organizers

Judicial Reform Foundation, Taiwan Alliance to End the Death Penalty, Taiwan Association for Human Rights

Agenda

Time	Content	Speaker
09:40	Admission and Registration	--
09:50	Opening Remarks and Event Briefing
10:00	1. Fundamental Principles of Criminal Trials (Not limited to citizen participation trials) 2. Key Factors for Appropriate Sentencing Decisions	Lin Tzu-Wei (Legal Officer, Taiwan Alliance to End the Death Penalty)
11:45	Simulated Court Activity Briefing	Pan Pei-Chen (Education and Outreach Specialist, Judicial Reform Foundation)
12:00	Lunch Break (Lunch not provided)
13:10	Simulated Lay Judge Court	Ch'en Yü-Ch'ing, Esq.
15:00	Nourishment for Legal Education — Court Observation Perspectives & Viewpoints	Moderator: Ch'en Yü-Ch'ing, Esq. (Executive Committee Member, Judicial Reform Foundation) Speaker: Yang Yen (Legal Specialist, Taiwan Alliance to End the Death Penalty)
16:00	General Discussion
16:30	Conclusion and Venue Restoration