Hsu Tzong-li (Chinese: 許宗力; pinyin: Xǔ Zōnglì; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Khó͘ Chong-le̍k; born 10 February 1956) is a Taiwanese judge who has served as the Chief Justice (President of the Judicial Yuan) of Taiwan since 2016.[1]

Hsu Tzong-li
許宗力
Official portrait, 2018
11th President of the Judicial Yuan
Assumed office
1 November 2016
Appointed byTsai Ing-wen
Vice PresidentTsai Jeong-duen
Preceded byRai Hau-min
Associate Justice of the Judicial Yuan
Assumed office
1 November 2016
Appointed byTsai Ing-wen
In office
1 October 2003 – 30 September 2011
Appointed byChen Shui-bian
Personal details
Born (1956-02-10) 10 February 1956 (age 68)
Chiayi, Taiwan
Political partyIndependent
EducationNational Taiwan University (LLB)
University of Göttingen (PhD)
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese許宗力
Hanyu PinyinXǔ Zōnglì
Hokkien POJKhó͘ Chong-le̍k
Tâi-lôKhóo Tsong-li̍k

Academic career

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Hsu studied at National Taiwan University and later, in 1986, obtained his PhD in law (Dr.iur.) from the University of Göttingen in Germany. Later that year, he began teaching law at Fu Jen Catholic University and moved to NTU in 1987. He was elected dean of NTU's law school in 2002.[2][3]

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He was a member of the Fair Trade Commission from 1995 to 1998 and led the Taiwan Law Society from 2001 to 2003.[2][4]

Judicial Yuan

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Hsu was named a member of the Judicial Yuan in 2003 and left the bench in 2011.[5][6][7]

As president

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The appointment of Hsu to be the President of Judicial Yuan from outgoing President Rai Hau-min.

Hsu was appointed the President of the Judicial Yuan on 25 October 2016 after his nomination was approved by legislators after a week of questioning. His selection was challenged with allegations of unconstitutionality, as Hsu had previously served on the Judicial Yuan.[8][9] Article V of the Additional Articles of the Constitution governs judicial appointments, and reads, in part "Each grand justice of the Judicial Yuan shall serve a term of eight years, independent of the order of appointment to office, and shall not serve consecutive terms." The Tsai Ing-wen administration argued that Hsu was reappointed, and never served consecutive terms.[10] The Alliance for Civic Oversight of Supreme Court Justice Nominees approved of Hsu's selection, as did the New Power Party.[11][12] Subsequently, the Legislative Yuan voted 72-2 for him to assume the post and for Tsai Jeong-duen to be the Vice President.[13] Hsu was inaugurated as the President of the Judicial Yuan on 1 November 2016 in a ceremony attended by Vice President Chen Chien-jen. Hsu appointed Lu Tai-lang (Chinese: 呂太郎) the secretary-general of the Judicial Yuan and Chou Chan-chun (Chinese: 周占春) as the head of the Judges Academy [zh].[14]

Political stances

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Hsu stated shortly before his confirmation as President of the Judicial Yuan in October 2016 that Cross-Strait relations should be handled on a special state-to-state basis, comparing them to relations between East and West Germany.[15]

References

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  1. ^ "許宗力 先生". 司法院全球資訊網 (in Chinese). Taiwan. 9 November 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
  2. ^ a b "TZONG-LI HSU (許宗力)". National Taiwan University. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
  3. ^ "Hsu, Tzong-Li". Judicial Yuan. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  4. ^ "Prof. Hsu Tzong-Li 許宗力". University of Tübingen. 31 May 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  5. ^ Shih, Hsiu-chuan; Chao, Vincent Y. (9 April 2011). "Nominee slammed over US green card". Taipei Times. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
  6. ^ Su, Fang-ho; Chung, Jake (2 September 2016). "Hsu Tzong-li nomination sparks debate". Taipei Times. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
  7. ^ "Nominees for Constitutional Court justices announced". Taiwan Today. 31 March 2011. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
  8. ^ Hsiao, Alison (1 October 2016). "Legislators squabble over nominations". Taipei Times. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
  9. ^ Hsiao, Alison (4 September 2016). "Hsu Tzong-li's nomination unconstitutional: judges". Taipei Times. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
  10. ^ Pan, Jason (27 August 2016). "Possible judicial pick challenged". Taipei Times. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
  11. ^ Pan, Jason (13 October 2016). "Tsai's choices to head up legal bodies scrutinized". Taipei Times. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
  12. ^ Gerber, Abraham (13 October 2016). "President's picks all qualified: evaluation committee". Taipei Times. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
  13. ^ Sun, Hsin-hsuan (26 October 2016). "Hsu Tzong-li approved as Judicial Yuan pres". The China Post. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
  14. ^ Wang, Yang-yu; Wu, Lilian (1 November 2016). "New Judicial Yuan president assumes post". Focus Taiwan. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
  15. ^ Cheng, Hung-ta; Chung, Jake; Chin, Jonathan (14 October 2016). "Hsu offers German model for PRC ties". Taipei Times. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
Legal offices
Preceded by President of the Judicial Yuan
2016-
Succeeded by
Incumbent