The Executive Yuan on Thursday approved a bill that would allow members of the public to participate as "citizen judges" in criminal trials.
Premier Lai Ching-te said the bill, drafted by the Judicial Yuan, embodies the concept of popular sovereignty and cultivates responsible citizenship. It follows up on resolutions of the National Conference on Judicial Reform to promote public participation in the criminal trial process. Citizen judges hold positions equal to professional judges, sitting through the entire trial to discuss and review the case before rendering a final verdict. Citizen participation will also increase transparency in the judiciary's criminal procedure, add perspective and weight to the court's judgments, and enhance public trust in the judicial system.
The bill will be submitted by the Executive Yuan and the Judicial Yuan to the Legislature for deliberation.