President Chen Shui-bian (
The 15 grand justices, including the president and vice president of the Judicial Yuan, are nominated by the head of state with the consent of the legislature.
Their eight-year term will expire on Oct. 1. Under established practice, the vice president acts as the convener of the nomination task force.
Although he will not be the convener, Chen assured the public that the nominations won't be affected by politics.
The president said that members of the Judicial Yuan should be equipped with high moral standards, knowledge, and professionalism. He also said that they should insist on upholding human rights and caring for the under-privileged. He also said that the ethnic background of the members is irrelevant.
As for the president and vice president of the Judicial Yuan, Chen said the candidates should have a firm standing on judicial reform and believe in judicial neutrality.
Chen also said that more women will be nominated in the upcoming process in an effort to honor his promises for gender equality in the political sphere.
Chen made the promises while receiving representatives of the alliance formed to supervise the nomination of the grand justices.
The alliance is made up by these six groups: the Taiwan Association for Human Rights (台權會), the Taipei Bar Association (台北律師公會), the Judicial Reform Foundation (民間司改會), Taipei Society (澄社), the Taiwan Law Society (台灣法學會) and the Taiwan Bar Association (律師公會全國聯合會).
Chen declined to follow a recommendation made by alliance members, who suggested that the president act as a convener to demonstrate his concern on judicial reform.
The president said he won't subvert the tradition by serving as the convener, but stressed that he will take responsibility for the results of the nomination process.
Chen also said he believed that human rights will be upheld and democracy will be safeguarded though the nomination process.
Chen promised to announce the nominations in May to allow this legislative session ample time for the review process.
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