Morley Shih Explained

Morley Shih
Shih Mao-lin
Native Name Lang:zh-hant
Office:Minister of Justice of the Republic of China
Term Start:1 February 2005
Term End:19 May 2008
Deputy:Lee Chin-yung
Predecessor:Chen Ding-nan
Successor:Wang Ching-feng
Birth Date:2 August 1950
Birth Place:Chiayi, Taiwan
Nationality:Taiwanese
Alma Mater:National Taiwan University
Profession:prosecutor and judge

Morley Shih (; born 2 August 1950) is a Taiwanese prosecutor and judge. He attended National Taiwan University and began his legal career in 1976. Shih was appointed Minister of Justice in 2005 and served until 2008.

Early life and education

Shih was born in Chiayi on 2 August 1950, and graduated from National Taiwan University in 1972, where he studied law alongside Ma Ying-jeou.[1]

Legal career

Prosecutor and judge

Shih began his legal career at the Taichung District Prosecutors' Office in 1976. In 1982, he was named a judge of the Taichung District Court. After two years on the bench, Shih was appointed chief justice of the Taichung District Court.[1] Upon stepping down from the Taichung District Court, Shih returned to the Taichung District Prosecutors' Office, where he served as chief prosecutor. Shih received the most votes in a January 2000 poll run by the Prosecutors' Reform Association.[2] Subsequently, Minister of Justice Chen Ding-nan named Shih chief prosecutor in Kaohsiung.[3] The next year, Shih was tabbed to lead the Taipei District Prosecutors' Office.[4] He remained in the position until 2004,[5] [6] when he was named Vice Minister of Justice under Chen in November.[7] [8]

Minister of Justice

It was widely speculated that Shih would be Chen's successor.[9] Shih was then appointed in January 2005 by incoming premier Frank Hsieh,[10] [11] and took office on 1 February 2005 with the Hsieh cabinet.[12] Shih retained his position after Su Tseng-chang and later Chang Chun-hsiung assumed the premiership.[13] [14] Throughout his tenure, Shih launched multiple investigations into electoral fraud.[15] [16] [17] He also probed corruption,[18] [19] insider trading,[20] and organized crime.[21] Additionally, Shih promoted initiatives against drug offenses.[22] [23] [24] Starting in 2006, Shih worked to implement a "conditional moratorium" on the death penalty, reducing executions of people on Taiwan's death row.[25] [26] [27]

Shortly after leaving his position as the Ministry of Justice in May 2008, Shih petitioned for retirement as a prosecutor, which would permit him to collect a higher pension. His successor Wang Ching-feng rejected the appeal.[28] Later that year, Shih was charged with fraud in relation to his use of special allowance funds.[29] [30] In 2011, charges against Shih were dropped after the use of special allowance funds was officially decriminalized.[31] [32]

Notes and References

  1. News: Chuang. Jimmy. Morley Shih's legal career marked by many successes. 11 August 2017. Taipei Times. 30 January 2005.
  2. News: Survey gives list of candidates for prosecutor-general. 13 August 2017. Taipei Times. 17 April 2000.
  3. News: Lin. Irene. Justice minister nominates group of 'tough' prosecutors. 13 August 2017. Taipei Times. 18 June 2000.
  4. News: Chuang. Jimmy. Police on lookout for vote buyers. 13 August 2017. Taipei Times. 16 October 2001.
  5. News: Lin. Jackie. Air Jordan's flight through puts Nike Taiwan in a spot. 13 August 2017. Taipei Times. 25 May 2004.
  6. News: Phone records recovered. 13 August 2017. Taipei Times. 30 September 2004.
  7. News: Chuang. Jimmy. Parolee tracking system planned. 13 August 2017. Taipei Times. 13 November 2004.
  8. News: Chuang. Jimmy. Justice minister looking to fill three key vacancies. 13 August 2017. Taipei Times. 16 February 2005.
  9. News: Chang. Rich. Chen Chi-mai takes over in Kaohsiung. 13 August 2017. Taipei Times. 27 January 2005.
  10. News: Chang. Rich. Blue camp lawmaker spurns post. 13 August 2017. Taipei Times. 28 January 2005.
  11. News: Hsieh offers KMT, China peace pipe. 13 August 2017. Taipei Times. 29 January 2005.
  12. News: Ko. Shu-ling. Hsieh takes over Yu's heavy load. 13 August 2017. Taipei Times. 2 February 2005.
  13. News: Su releases more names for Cabinet. 13 August 2017. Taipei Times. 2 January 2006.
  14. News: Loa. Iok-sin. Shih. Hsiu-chuan. Premier-designate issues second list in Cabinet reshuffle. 13 August 2017. Taipei Times. 18 May 2007.
  15. News: Chang. Rich. Minister pledges action on vote-buying. 13 August 2017. Taipei Times. 4 February 2005.
  16. News: Chang. Rich. Election results irk prosecutors. 13 August 2017. Taipei Times. 6 December 2005.
  17. News: Yang. Kuo-wen. Statistics on vote buying make for depressing reading. 13 August 2017. Taipei Times. 26 November 2006.
  18. News: Chang. Rich. Scores of officials busted for corruption: MOJ. 13 August 2017. Taipei Times. 20 March 2005.
  19. News: Chang. Rich. Prosecutors turn bad with a little help from the law. 13 August 2017. Taipei Times. 12 September 2005.
  20. News: Chuang. Jimmy. Insider-trading probe claims top scalp. 13 August 2017. Taipei Times. 13 July 2005.
  21. News: Chuang. Jimmy. Officials announce organized crime crackdown drive. 13 August 2017. Taipei Times. 16 July 2005.
  22. News: Justice minister warns of drug smuggling dangers. 13 August 2017. Taipei Times. 13 December 2006.
  23. News: Police must do more to stop drug scourge, justice minister says. 13 August 2017. Taipei Times. 27 June 2005.
  24. News: Chang. Rich. Justice ministry's campaign against drugs goes online. 13 August 2017. Taipei Times. 18 June 2006.
  25. News: MOJ turns to PRC for inspiration on cutting executions. 13 August 2017. Taipei Times. 1 January 2006.
  26. News: Chang. Rich. Nation keeps death penalty, but reduces executions. 13 August 2017. Taipei Times. 2 January 2006.
  27. News: Chang. Rich. Justice Ministry working to reduce execution rate. 13 August 2017. Taipei Times. 20 February 2006.
  28. News: Official's pension may drop. 13 August 2017. Taipei Times. 20 May 2008.
  29. News: Chang. Rich. Prosecutors say former ministers may be indicted. 13 August 2017. Taipei Times. 15 June 2008.
  30. News: Chang. Rich. Five former DPP officials indicted for fund misuse. 13 August 2017. Taipei Times. 16 July 2008.
  31. News: Shih. Hsiu-chuan. Special fund abuses decriminalized case. 11 January 2018. Taipei Times. 4 May 2011.
  32. News: Chang. Rich. Chen gets two months in prison in allowance case. 28 November 2017. Taipei Times. 30 July 2011.

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