The Judicial Yuan ( 司法院 ) is one of five branches of the government of the Taiwan in Taipei and serves as the highest judicial organ in Republic of China. Its Justices of the Constitutional Court ( 大法官會議 ) , with 15 members, is charged with interpreting the Constitution. The President and Vice President of the Judicial Yuan are chosen from among the Honorable Justice by the President. Eight of the grand justices, including the president and vice president of the Judicial Yuan, serve four-year terms, and the remaining Honorable Justice serve eight-year terms. The Judicial Yuan also supervises the lower courts, which consist of the Supreme Court, the high courts, district courts, the Administrative Court, and the Commission on the Disciplinary Sanctions of Public Functionaries. District courts hear cases of the first instance, high courts hear appeals, and the Supreme Court is the final court of appeal. High courts are courts of first instance only for cases in which rebellion, treason, and offenses against friendly relations with other nations are alleged. The Supreme Court does not hear constitutional cases.
List of Presidents of the Judicial Yuan
- Wang Chung-hui (1948-6)
- Hsieh Kuan-sheng (1958-6)
- Tien Chung-chin (1971-12)
- Tai Yen-hui (1977-4)
- Huang Shao-ku (1979-7)
- Lin Yang-kang (1987-4)
- Shih Chi-yang (1994-9)
- Weng Yueh-sheng (1999-2—)
