Press Enter to Center block
:::

Taiwan High Court

:::

Organization

font-size:

▍Organization of High Courts

Currently, there is one High Court in the Taiwan area with four branch courts in Taichung, Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Hualien (and the Hualien branch has a branch in Taitung). In the Fuchien area, there is a Kinmen Branch Court of the Fuchien High Court. The High Courts and its branches exercise jurisdiction over the following cases in the Taiwan and Kinmen-Matsu areas respectively:

  1. Appeals from judgments of the District Courts or their branches as courts of the first instance in ordinary proceedings of civil and criminal cases;
  2. Interlocutory appeals from rulings of the District Courts or their branches in ordinary proceedings;
  3. First instance criminal cases relating to rebellion, treason, and offenses against friendly relations with foreign states;
  4. Military appellate cases whose judgments are imprisonment for a definite period rendered by the High Military Courts and their branches; and
  5. Other cases prescribed by law.

The High Courts and every branch thereof have one judge who serves concurrently as President of the Court and the Branch Courts. The President is in charge of the administrative affairs of the entire Court and supervises the administrative affairs of its subordinate courts.

The High Courts and its Branch Courts are divided into civil, criminal and specialized divisions dealing with juvenile traffic, public security election labor trademark, patent copyright corruption, state compensation, sexual violations and fair trade cases as well as significant economic crimes and other extraordinary criminal cases. Each Division is comprised of one Division Chief Judge and two Associate Judges. The Division Chief Judge supervises and assigns the business of his or her own division. Additionally, the High Court and its Branch Courts have a Clerical Bureau, which is headed by a Chief Clerk who assists the President with administrative affairs. The Clerical Bureau is divided into the Document, Civil Recording, Criminal Recording, Specialized Division Recording, General Affairs, Research and Evaluation, Data and Legal Assistance Sections as well as a Judicial Police Office. The High Courts and its Branch Courts also have Personnel Government Ethics, Accounting, Statistics, and Information Offices.

Cases before the High Courts or its Branch Courts are heard and decided by a panel of three judges. However, one of the judges may conduct preparatory proceedings.

 


▍Departments of High Courts

With a president to take charge of Court affairs, the Court is divided into two parts: Judgment and Administration, each of which is flanked by the following units and with the following responsibilities:

I. Judgment

  1. The Civil Court and the Criminal Court conduct the appeal to the second instance of the civil or criminal case and the counter-appeal case under the system of collegial panels.
  2. One assistant presiding judge assists the president in studying and reading the documents of the civil or criminal cases.
  3. Two public defenders support defendants in specific cases of compulsory vindication.

II. Administration

  1. Secretariat:
    This has one chief secretary to assist the president in handling general administration affairs. The Civil Records Section, Criminal Records Section, Documentation Section, General Affairs Section, Research and Evaluation Section, Litigation Counseling Section and Bailiff Office are located within it. They are in charge of judgment records, documents, general affairs, financial affairs, research and evaluation of work management and affairs, litigation assistance, prisoner control and protection as well as safekeeping respectively.
  2. Personnel Office:
    This is responsible for appointing and dismissal and transfer of officials, rewards and punishment, assessments, evaluation of achievements, retirements, compensation, salaries, training, holiday and business trip management, personnel files management as well as matters concerning the material benefits of personnel, civil servant insurance, health insurance, cooperation and activities.
  3. Civil Service Ethics Office:
    This is responsible for enactment and popularization of the civil service ethics regulations and rules, anti-corruption, prosecution affairs, suggestions on civil service ethics, assessments, rewards and punishment, protection of confidential affairs, property declarations and the other matters concerning civil service ethics.
  4. Accounting Office:
    This is responsible for the arrangement of general estimates, budget and final accounts, approved budgetary distribution and projects, control of financial income and expenses, management of judicatory income, control of legal fees as well as for suggestions to enhance financial power and lower expenses.
  5. Statistics Office:
    This is responsible for judicatory statistical affairs.
  6. Information Management Office:
    This is responsible for the management and maintenance of the computers and network systems in the Court, installation of the applied systems, management of the operational documents and maintenance of files. It is the advice center for problems with computers in the Court.
  • Release Date:2020-11-09
  • Update:2021-06-04
Top