司法院大法官釋憲制度新發展

New Developments in Constitutional Interpretations of the Constitutional Court

本文以2003年10月1日起大法官實施新制後的發展為起點，從組織面與功能面評析值得肯定的幾項釋憲實務之重要變化。前者內容包括司法院長與副院長是否由大法官並任及釋憲機關法院化、大法官名額與任期及大法官是否為憲法上法官；後者則以深化人民基本權利保障、不同意見與協同意見書發表驟增及大法官解釋理由書說服力增強為重心。於文末提出三項目前仍值商榷之課題：院長及副院長任期不受保障、釋憲機關合議功能及大法官解釋之效能。說明未來釋憲機關仍有改進之空間，並期許大法官於提高解釋品質之同時兼顧其效力；努力於個人意見發表，同時注重釋憲機關合議功能之發揮，將能對人民有更多的貢獻。

This article provides an analysis and an evaluation of significant institutional and functional changes of the Constitutional Court since October 1, 2003. Institutional changes include issues such as whether the President and Vice-President of the Judicial Yuan should also serve as justices of the Constitutional Court, the transformation from the Grand Justices Council to the Constitutional Court, the number of the justices and the length of their term, and whether the justices are judges under Article 80 of the Constitution. Functional changes consist of the role of the Constitutional Court in protecting human rights, the increase in numbers of dissenting and concurring opinions, and the increased persuasiveness of the constitutional interpretations. Setting the Court in the new developments, this article suggests three challenges lie ahead: the fact that President and Vice-President of the Judicial Yuan do not enjoy a fixed term of office, the Constitutional Court as a collegiate body, and the efficiency of rendering constitutional interpretations. The article concludes that the Constitutional Court will better function if justices pay heed to both the quality and efficiency of their interpretations, to the role of their individual opinions, and to judicial collegiality.