Lai In-jaw (Chinese: 賴英照; pinyin: Laì Yīnzhaò; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Lōa Eng-chiàu) is a Taiwanese politician and jurist who was the former President of the Judicial Yuan as well as Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court. He was the senior advisor to President Chen Shui-bian for a short time before taking his position in the Judicial Yuan.

Lai In-jaw
賴英照
President of Judicial Yuan
In office
1 October 2007 – 18 July 2010
PresidentChen Shui-bian
Ma Ying-jeou
Preceded byWeng Yueh-sheng
Succeeded byHsieh Tsai-chuan (acting)
Rai Hau-min
Vice Premier of the Republic of China
In office
6 October 2000 – 1 February 2002
PresidentChen Shui-bian
Preceded byChang Chun-hsiung
Succeeded byLin Hsin-i
Personal details
Born (1946-08-24) 24 August 1946 (age 78)
Jiaoxi, Yilan County, Taiwan
Alma materNational Ilan University (BS)
National Chung Hsing University (LLB)
National Taiwan University (LLM)
Harvard University (LLM, SJD)
Lai In-Jaw
Traditional Chinese
Simplified Chinese赖英照
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinLaì Yīnzhaò
Wade–GilesLaì Yìn-chaò
Southern Min
Hokkien POJLōa Eng-chiàu

Early life and education

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Lai was born in Jiaoxi Township, Yilan County. He went to read law in the night school division of National Chung Hsing University (now National Taipei University) after graduating from Taiwan Provincial Ilan School of Agriculture and Forestry (now National Ilan University). After finishing his study in 1973, Lai proceeded to the National Taiwan University and completed a master's degree in law in 1976.

Lai then went to the United States to enroll in Harvard University, where he studied under Louis Loss. He earned another master's degree and a doctoral degree in 1977 and 1981 respectively.

Career

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Lai taught at the College of Law and Business, National Chung Hsing University (now National Taipei University) from 1981 to 1984. After that, he took up various government posts in the Ministry of Finance. In October 2000 during the first term of President Chen Shui-bian, he became the Vice Premier under Premier Chang Chun-hsiung. He was succeeded by Lin Hsin-i in February 2002.

Appointed by President Chen in 2007, Lai was promoted to the President of Judicial Yuan, after serving as a judge since 2003. He stepped down in July 2010 as a result of corruption scandal among four judges of Taiwan Higher Court. He turned down the offer of Senior Advisors to the Office of the President of the Republic of China in the same year.

Lai now serves as a lecture professor of National Chung Hsing University, National Taipei University and Chung Yuan Christian University.

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