The new system of national judges came into effect on January 1. The Taichung District Prosecutor’s Office prosecuted a homicide case today. According to the regulations, it is a case applicable to the National Judge Law. The trial became the first case of a national judge on the road.
The new system of national judges came into effect on January 1. This is the first time in judicial history that ordinary citizens can participate in trials as judges. Anyone who is 23 years old or older has the opportunity to be selected as a national judge. There will be 6 national judges and 3 judges in the courtroom. Professional judges discuss and try major criminal cases together.
In a joint interview with the media today, Li Jinqing, chief executive judge of the Taichung District Court, said that the Taichung District Prosecutor’s Office filed a case with the Taichung District Court this morning in which the National Judge Law applies. The cause of the case was homicide. Shen Zhong Su Zi No. 1 is accepted by the 4th court of the criminal court. Tang Zhongxing, the president of the court, serves as the presiding judge and appointed judge, and the most senior and second most senior judges of the 4th court serve as the associate judges of the collegial panel. The procedure is to be heard by a national judge.
Li Jinqing explained that according to the provisions of the Civil Judges Law, intentional behavior resulting in death is a case that is applicable to the Civil Judges Law. The case accepted today is a crime of homicide under the criminal law. According to the regulations, it is necessary to avoid the prejudgment of the civil judges, so the collegial panel will not contact the court for the time being. The complete file of evidence in the case must be handled by other courts after the indictment of the criminal.
As for the preparation of national judge cases, Li Jinqing said that the Taichung District Court held eight mock trials of national judges last year and the year before. And the court’s most senior and second-senior judges serve as associate judges, so that the cases of national judges can be heard in the most complete way.
Li Jinqing mentioned that after the division of cases, according to the experience of past simulations and the complexity of the case, it takes 1 to 2 months to prepare for evidence capacity and summon witnesses, and then select 6 national judges and 1 to 4 alternate judges will conduct the trial.
It is understood that the homicide case transferred to the Taichung District Court today is a 22-year-old man surnamed Huang who worked as a salesman in Taichung City. The prosecution charged him with homicide today.
Responsible editor: Yu Weining