TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Legislators questioned Judicial Yuan president nominee Tsai Chiu-ming (蔡秋明) during a legislative review session on Wednesday, pressing him on a wide range of issues including judicial reform, sentencing standards, and his stance on the death penalty.
Tsai, currently chief prosecutor at the High Prosecutors Office, laid out his vision for judicial reform, including reducing overwork within the judiciary and improving public trust in the legal system, per CNA. He also addressed topics such as legalizing marijuana, sentencing transparency, and his qualifications for the role, per CNA.
To address excessive workloads in the judiciary, Tsai proposed two main solutions. First, he would request a reassessment of the number of judges needed nationwide and then petition relevant authorities for additional personnel.
Second, Tsai suggested working with the Ministry of Justice to decriminalize minor offenses and expand the scope of cases that do not require prosecution unless a complaint is filed. He believed that these measures would help reduce case volume.
To improve public trust, Tsai proposed making the judicial system more accessible and transparent, including allowing greater public participation in trials. He also advocated for standardized sentencing guidelines to address perceptions of inconsistency in court rulings.
Referencing US Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan, Tsai defended his prosecutorial background, saying that being a prosecutor should not disqualify him from serving as Judicial Yuan president, per UDN.
When questioned by KMT Legislator Hsu Yu-chen (許宇甄) on whether he supports abolishing the death penalty, Tsai voiced clear opposition per SETN. Asked whether a 2024 Constitutional Court ruling had effectively abolished the death penalty in practice, Tsai acknowledged that the precedent had made imposing capital punishment more difficult, and he noted its binding authority, per UDN.
KMT Legislator Lai Shyh-bao (賴士葆) cited Thailand in a question on cannabis decriminalization, per ETtoday. Tsai reaffirmed his personal and professional opposition to legalizing marijuana.
In response to KMT Legislator Wang Yu-min (王育敏), who asked whether he was prepared to take on the role, Tsai said he believed he was qualified but humbly said he was uncertain over whether he was the best candidate, per Tai Sounds.
When Wang asked why he did not reiterate his earlier stance that the judiciary should strengthen its capacity to handle national security cases, Tsai said he could not recall making that statement and emphasized that other issues were more urgent.
TPP Chair Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) challenged Tsai on his 2019 support for Hong Kong’s proposed extradition bill, per Economic Daily News. Tsai said he did hold that opinion and admitted developments had gone beyond his initial expectations.
Huang accused Tsai of reversing his position after then-President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) publicly opposed the bill. Tsai replied that he could not recall the exact circumstances.
Huang also pressed Tsai on whether prosecutors can ask witnesses to hand over their phones for searches, per ETtoday. Tsai responded that such behavior would be inappropriate.
