Judicial Yuan Amends Criminal Procedure Code to Address Increasing Court Caseloads
To alleviate the growing burden on courts, Taiwan's Judicial Yuan passed draft amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code, expanding summary trials, simplifying judgments, and allowing the use of technology and outsourced transcription.
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- 📰 Published: April 23, 2026 at 21:52
- 🔍 Collected: April 23, 2026 at 22:02 (9 min after Published)
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(Central News Agency, Reporter Lin Chang-shun, Taipei, 23rd) In response to the continuous increase in court caseloads, the Judicial Yuan passed a draft amendment to the Criminal Procedure Code today. The changes include expanding the scope of cases eligible for summary trial procedures and plea bargaining, simplifying the drafting of guilty verdicts, using technological equipment for summary trials, and introducing flexibility in the production of trial transcripts.
The Judicial Yuan pointed out that in recent years, the total number of criminal cases accepted has continued to increase year by year. Last year, the total number of cases accepted by district courts increased by 188,271 compared to 2021, an increase of about 39.94%, making the burden on frontline trials and related judicial administrative work increasingly heavy. To reasonably allocate judicial resources, enhance overall trial efficiency, and respond to the heavy workload of court clerks in practice, the Judicial Yuan passed the draft amendment today. It will be jointly signed by the Executive Yuan before being sent to the Legislative Yuan for deliberation.
The Judicial Yuan stated that the core philosophy of this amendment is "swift judgment for clear cases, careful judgment for doubtful cases." For example, if a defendant does not contest the facts of the indictment and pleads guilty, the trial procedure or evidence investigation can be simplified. On one hand, this reasonably allocates judicial resources to achieve procedural economy; on the other hand, it allows for swift conclusions, saving defendants from prolonged litigation and boosting overall judicial efficiency.
In addition, the amendment expands the application of simplified guilty judgments and adds stipulations that for guilty verdicts using the summary procedure, the record of the pronouncement can replace the written judgment and related provisions to ensure the rights of the parties.
The Judicial Yuan noted that the draft stipulates that when conducting a summary trial for a defendant whose personal liberty is restricted due to detention, temporary placement, or the execution of penalties or security measures, the court may, if deemed appropriate and with the defendant's consent ensuring unimpeded communication with their lawyer, conduct part or all of the procedure via technological equipment.
To construct a prompt and efficient criminal procedure system while considering the litigation rights of the defendant, the draft specifies that trial transcripts, in addition to being made on the spot by court clerks, can also be made by other appropriate methods, such as outsourced recording or utilizing technological equipment. Furthermore, to accommodate judicial manpower allocation needs, tasks such as producing, verifying, organizing, and signing transcripts by clerks can, when necessary, be performed by other appropriate persons and signed by the transcript maker to facilitate practical operations.
To ensure the effective execution of alternative detention measures where a defendant violates matters ordered by the court or prosecutors, the draft adds a provision allowing prosecutors, judicial police officers, or judicial police to apply the provisions of Article 88-1, Paragraphs 2 and 3, to execute arrests directly in urgent situations, thereby strengthening the anti-escape mechanism and aiding practical operations. (Editor: Li Heng-shan) 1150423
The Judicial Yuan pointed out that in recent years, the total number of criminal cases accepted has continued to increase year by year. Last year, the total number of cases accepted by district courts increased by 188,271 compared to 2021, an increase of about 39.94%, making the burden on frontline trials and related judicial administrative work increasingly heavy. To reasonably allocate judicial resources, enhance overall trial efficiency, and respond to the heavy workload of court clerks in practice, the Judicial Yuan passed the draft amendment today. It will be jointly signed by the Executive Yuan before being sent to the Legislative Yuan for deliberation.
The Judicial Yuan stated that the core philosophy of this amendment is "swift judgment for clear cases, careful judgment for doubtful cases." For example, if a defendant does not contest the facts of the indictment and pleads guilty, the trial procedure or evidence investigation can be simplified. On one hand, this reasonably allocates judicial resources to achieve procedural economy; on the other hand, it allows for swift conclusions, saving defendants from prolonged litigation and boosting overall judicial efficiency.
In addition, the amendment expands the application of simplified guilty judgments and adds stipulations that for guilty verdicts using the summary procedure, the record of the pronouncement can replace the written judgment and related provisions to ensure the rights of the parties.
The Judicial Yuan noted that the draft stipulates that when conducting a summary trial for a defendant whose personal liberty is restricted due to detention, temporary placement, or the execution of penalties or security measures, the court may, if deemed appropriate and with the defendant's consent ensuring unimpeded communication with their lawyer, conduct part or all of the procedure via technological equipment.
To construct a prompt and efficient criminal procedure system while considering the litigation rights of the defendant, the draft specifies that trial transcripts, in addition to being made on the spot by court clerks, can also be made by other appropriate methods, such as outsourced recording or utilizing technological equipment. Furthermore, to accommodate judicial manpower allocation needs, tasks such as producing, verifying, organizing, and signing transcripts by clerks can, when necessary, be performed by other appropriate persons and signed by the transcript maker to facilitate practical operations.
To ensure the effective execution of alternative detention measures where a defendant violates matters ordered by the court or prosecutors, the draft adds a provision allowing prosecutors, judicial police officers, or judicial police to apply the provisions of Article 88-1, Paragraphs 2 and 3, to execute arrests directly in urgent situations, thereby strengthening the anti-escape mechanism and aiding practical operations. (Editor: Li Heng-shan) 1150423