2017 Judicial Reform Resolutions: Oversight & Implementation

Monitoring and Implementation・2017 National Customs/Judicial Reform Conference

Monitoring the Implementation of Resolutions from the 2017 National Judicial Reform Conference

In November 2016, President Tsai Ing-wen personally convened the Office of the President National Judicial Reform Conference, bringing together representatives from the judiciary, prosecution, and defense, as well as cross-disciplinary civil society actors. Following nearly a year of intensive discussions, a comprehensive set of judicial reform resolutions was adopted in August 2017. JRF continues to track the implementation of these resolutions to ensure that reform commitments do not remain empty promises.

2016
Preparations Announced
→
2017.02
Subcommittee Meetings Begin
→
2017.08
Concluding Meeting Resolutions
→
Present
Ongoing Implementation Monitoring
BACKGROUND

Origins of the National Judicial Reform Conference

In 2016, public expectations for judicial reform reached a peak. Making "judicial reform" a major political platform, President Tsai Ing-wen promptly announced the convening of the Office of the President National Judicial Reform Conference upon taking office. She personally served as the convener, delegating representatives from various sectors to formulate reform proposals addressing core issues in the existing judicial system through subcommittee meetings.

The conference was divided into five working groups covering five major dimensions: victim protection, judicial quality, authority and responsibility systems, public participation, and social safety. A total of over 40 subcommittee and additional meetings were held, culminating in the concluding meeting on August 12, 2017, where reform resolutions were formally adopted.

Key directions of the concluding meeting resolutions include:

Establishing the citizen judge system, introducing public participation in prosecutorial screening, strengthening assistance measures for vulnerable groups, promoting open courtroom audio and video, enhancing transparency of attorney information, digitizing judicial hardware equipment, reforming the prosecutorial personnel system, building a pyramid-shaped adversarial trial procedure (mandatory defense and attorney representation), promoting restorative justice, and enhancing continuing education and training for judges, among others.

KEY OUTCOMES

Eight Key Areas of Reform

01 Citizen Judge SystemEnabling ordinary citizens to participate in the trial of major criminal cases to enhance the democratic legitimacy of the judiciary
02 Public Participation in Prosecutorial ScreeningEstablishing a mechanism for the public to monitor prosecutors' decisions not to prosecute
03 Pyramid-Shaped Trial ProcedureMandatory defense and attorney representation to improve trial quality and reduce the burden on final appellate courts
04 Open Courtroom Audio and VideoPutting indictments in major cases online and institutionalizing the application process for courtroom audio and video recordings
05 Reform of Judge EvaluationStrengthening the independence and functions of the Judge and Prosecutor Evaluation Commissions
06 Transformation of Drug PolicyShifting from a penalty-oriented approach to a health-centered diversified treatment model
07 Protection for Vulnerable GroupsStrengthening interpretation resources, judicial protections for indigenous peoples, and juvenile correctional reform
08 Penitentiary System ReformParole transparency, improvement of prison medical care, and justification of inmate treatment
FIVE GROUPS

Materials from the Five Subcommittee Meetings

Click on each subcommittee to access complete meeting recordings, official materials, and JRF commentary:

Subcommittee I
Protection of Crime Victims and Vulnerable Groups
Crime victim protection, miscarriage of justice relief, judicial situations of vulnerable groups, forensic science appraisal, as well as non-disclosure of investigations and media influence on trials. Total of 10 meetings.
View Subcommittee Materials
Subcommittee II
A Trusted, Impartial, and Professional Judiciary
Grand Justices' interpretation procedures, allocation of judicial policy-making powers, court organization and procedural reform, establishment of specialized courts, and judicial neutrality. Total of 8 meetings.
View Subcommittee Materials
Subcommittee III
A Judiciary with Balanced Authority and Responsibility, and High Efficiency
Transparency and efficiency of the prosecution system, appointment and supervision of judges and prosecutors, professional ethics of attorneys, and professional division of labor among police, prosecutors, and investigators. Total of 7 meetings.
View Subcommittee Materials
Subcommittee IV
A Participatory, Transparent, and Accessible Judiciary
Legal education and bar examinations, public participation in the judiciary (lay assessor / jury systems), judicial openness and transparency, and making judicial documents accessible. Total of 7 meetings.
View Subcommittee Materials
Subcommittee V
A Judiciary Safeguarding Social Security
Prison administration reform, criminal policies on drugs and mental illness, effective combating of crime, crime prevention, and juvenile- and gender-friendly justice. Total of 8 meetings.
View Subcommittee Materials
Official Resources
Office of the President Official Website & Outcome Reports
Official website of the Office of the President National Judicial Reform Conference, including all subcommittee pages, meeting materials, and transcripts.
Visit Official Website
MONITORING RECORDS

Resolution Implementation Tracking Records

JRF continuously records the progress of resolution implementation, evaluates reform outcomes annually, and reports publicly to society:

OFFICIAL RESOURCES

Official Materials and Original Documents

Office of the President National Judicial Reform Conference

Official website, including five subcommittee pages, all meeting materials, and proceedings records.

justice.president.gov.tw

Subcommittee Meeting Records Overview

All subcommittees on the official website, where meeting agendas, member lists, and complete meeting materials can be viewed.

View Subcommittee Pages

Judicial Reform Conference YouTube Channel

Complete playlists of all subcommittee meeting recordings, viewable by subcommittee and session.

Go to YouTube Channel

Judicial Reform Cannot Stop, Monitoring Must Continue

The adoption of resolutions is merely the starting point; true reform requires continuous attention and pressure from civil society. Support JRF's work to keep the voice of monitoring effective.

Last Edited Date: 2026-04-27
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