It’s been almost two years since Taiwan introduced a new legal framework meant to make its justice system more transparent. Taiwan does not have juries, and the new system doesn't change that. But now citizens can sit on the bench, helping judge and sentence cases.
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00:00Citizen judges are meant to increase public trust in Taiwan's justice system.
00:06In some cases, three professional judges are joined by six members of the public.
00:11A guilty verdict needs at least two-thirds agreement,
00:15including at least one professional judge and one citizen judge.
00:20The system started on January 1, 2023.
00:24Starting initially with murder cases,
00:27later the system will expand to other serious crimes.
00:31Authorities expected citizen judges to sit on 300 cases each year.
00:36In its first year, only 108 cases were heard,
00:40and of those, only 13 were concluded.
00:44Civic groups say the new system has been a waste of money.