2018年憲法發展回顧

Developments in the Law in 2018: Constitutional Law

本文從憲法解釋、重要立法及重要事件等三個面向出發，回顧2018年主要的憲政發展。在憲法解釋的面向上，司法院大法官在2018年作成14件解釋，涵蓋複雜而多元的議題，包括土地徵收的行政正當程序、遺屬年金給付所涉財產權及生存權的保障、藥害救濟的立法裁量空間、地方議會議長選舉方式、及警察與公立醫院醫師任用的差別待遇等重要議題。在重要立法的面向上，主要是司法改革的繼續推動，包括統一終審法院法律見解的大法庭制度、以及將司法院大法官運作全面司法化、裁判化及法庭化的憲法訴訟法。至於重要的憲政事件，則包括促進轉型正義委員會的正式運作、假消息對憲政民主治理的挑戰、11月24日與地方性選舉一併舉行的十案全國性公投、以及臺大校長的遴選爭議。

This article looks into the key development of Taiwan's constitutional law in 2018 in three aspects. These aspects include constitutional interpretations, important legislations, and the key events of constitutional importance unfolded in 2018. First, with regard to constitutional interpretations, the Constitutional Court in 2018 rendered altogether fourteen interpretations. The issues involved in these interprestations are complex and diverse, ranging from procedural due process in urban planning and land taking, to property right and right of subsistence involving in pension payments, to legislative discretion in providing drug injury reliefs, to methods for electing legislative council speakers, and to discriminatory measures made in the employments of police and public hospital doctors and their right to work and to public services. Second, with regard to important legislations, key developments were made to continuously carry out judicial reform consensus reached two years ago. To illustrate, the revision to the Court Organic Act was passed to set up grand benches in the Supreme Court and in the Supreme Administrative Court for unification of conflicting legal interpretations, and the enactment of Constitutional Litigation Act was undertaken to transform the Constitutional Court into a full-fledged judicial organ, and to extend the Constitutional Court's jurisdiction to reviewing final judicial judgements in case of unconstitutional violation with fundamental rights and freedoms. Last, but not the least, the key events of constitutional importance in 2018 were all related to the crises of deepening constitutional democracy and the rule of law. The key events unfolded in 2018 included the creation of Transitional Justice Commission, the challenges posed by misinformation and fake news to the governance of modern constitutional democracy, the ten vote agendas of public referendums held in conjunction with the local elections on November 24, and, finally, National Taiwan University's presidential election controversy that posed great challenges to academic freedom, University autonomy, majoritarian tyranny and rule of law.