NEWS LETTER

張貼日期：Jun 05, 2014 1:35:44 AM

We invite all the media and journalists to join the Constitutional Court Simulation on 14th June, 2014.

In the autumn of 2013, the Legislative Yuan passed the first reading on legalizing same-sex marriage in Civil Code. The proposal triggered furious arguments between supporting people and opposing ones,hundreds of thousands of people went on the street to elaborate their opinions. Since this is a highly controversial constitutional issue, it has been in abeyance at Judiciary and Organic Laws and Statutes Committee of the Legislative Yuan.

Elaborating opinions through protesting on the streets can definitely help with arising civil society’s awareness and care toward legislative cases; yet forming an institution requires the procedure taken in the Legislative Yuan. If we can provide a rational debate opportunity for different opinions and even sharp conflicts with constitutional level, it may help avert controversy, eliminate discrimination, and figure out a solution that matches all requirements.

In order to build a constitutional forum discussing same-sex marriage legalization, Institute of Technology law, National Chiao Tung University organized the Moot Constitutional Court program.This course will invite civil groups, lawyers, and professionals to convene the Constitutional Court Simulation; also review Article 972, 1072, and Civil Code’s first sentence of 1074 to find out whether these rules violate basic principles of Constitution.

The  Constitutional Court Simulation doesn’t aim to hold  debate competition but to provide solution. Although the real Justices of Constitutional Court cannot provide legal counsel to Legislative Yuan, the Constitutional Court Simulation can provide constitutional opinions to help Legislator make decisions. NCTU’s  Moot Constitutional Court program of ITL is a leading program in Taiwan’s law schools. The program adviser, former Honorable Justice of the Constitutional Court, Professor Yu-Hsiu Hsu, is trying to build an educational court that leads legal educational reform. She believes that legal education should start from constitutional education and legal practices.

There are 15 Judges of the Constitutional Court Simulation; 9 of them are students of the Moot Constitutional Court program, 8 are lawyers, and one accountant. Besides, we invite Attorney. Nigel N. T. Li, Chairperson of Constitutional Committee of Taipei Bar Association as Honorable Chief Justice, and Attorney Po-Hsiang Yu, committee member of Constitutional Committee of TBA, Attorney Guo-wen Chen, former Justice of Supreme Court, Attorney Xiu-rui Tu, Associate Professor Zhao-ru Chen, College of Law of National Taiwan University, and Associate Professor Min-quan Wang, ITL of NCTU to join the Constitutional Court Simulation as Judges; Attorney Yan-rong Li, Yi-qing Guo, Qiao-ru Zhuang, Shi-Fang Lin, Xiu-yan Ren, Rui-zhen Lu, Zhi-zhong Liu, and Meng-ling Wu as agent ad litem. We also invite Professor Chueh-An Yen, NTU’s College of Law,, Professor Hui-Fang Tsai, Department of Law of National Chung Hsing University, Professor Pin-chieh Jseng, Chairperson of Department of Financial & Economic Law of National Chung Cheng University, Associate Professor Chang-Ling Huang, Department of Political Science of NTU, Associate Professor Yu-Zu Tai, Department of Law of National Taipei University, and Instructor Hong-cheng Zhang, Department of HUmanities and Social Sciences of National Taiwan University of Science and Technology as expert witness. Further, we will invite civil groups concerning same-sex marriage, such as Gender/Sexuality Rights Association Taiwan, Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights, TaiwanFamily, Taiwan LGBT Family Rights Advocacy, Taiwan Democracy Watch, Judicial Reform Foundation, Taiwan Association for Human Rights, Chinese Association for Human rights, and Awakening Foundation bringing their viewpoints and joining the Constitutional Court Simulation.

 The oral arguments procedure will be held in open court at GIS MOTC Convention Center (No.24, Sec. 1, Hangjhou S. Rd., Jhongjheng Dist., Taipei City 100, Taiwan R.O.C) from 9:30 am to 17:30 pm, 14th June, 2014.. 150 seats will be provided then, and your attendance will be most welcome. Please sing up at http://ppt.cc/gp7d.