非對話意思表示達到之臺日比較──以「招領通知」作為達到為核心

When Does an Expression of Intent Inter Absents Reach the Other Party?－A Comparison between Taiwanese and Japanese Law on the Legal Effect of Registered Mail Claim

109年度台上大字第908號民事裁定曰，表意人將意思表示以書面掛號郵寄至相對人之住所地，郵務機關未會晤相對人而製作招領通知單通知領取，縱使事後信件因招領逾期而退回，仍應認為招領通知單製作時，意思表示已達到相對人，本文基本上贊同此見解。雖然相比於日本之服務，我國招領通知上未有「寄件人和郵件內容」之記載，對於相對人之保護稍顯不周，但既然郵政機關已提供改投遞、郵件暫存等服務，本文認為未能實際受領之危險，應轉嫁給相對人為當。惟本文認為，因相對人本有權利於收到招領通知之任何時點，前往郵局領取郵件，故招領通知逾期退回表意人之情況的「達到時」，應採「招領期限截止日」，較為合理。

According to the civil ruling No. 908 of the Grand Court issued in the year of 2020, the expression of intent by the party shall be deemed to have been achieved when sending it by registered mail to the opposing party’s place of residence and the postal authorities make a claim notification for pickup without meeting the opposing party in person. Even if the mail is subsequently returned due to an expired claim period, it should still be considered that the expression of intent was accomplished when the claim notification was issued. This article agrees with this view. Compared to Japan’s postal service, Taiwan’s claim notification lacks information about the“sender and contents of the mail,”which somewhat undermines the protection of the opposing party. However, since Taiwanese postal authorities already provide services such as redirection and temporary mail storage, the risk of not being able to physically receive the mail should be transferred to the opposing party. Nevertheless, the article believes that since the opposing party has the right to go to the post office to claim the mail at any time after receiving the claim notification, the legal effect of the expression of intent should not take place until the deadline for claiming the mail.