Newsletter
TRAINING COURSE FOR IP JUDGES BEGINS
In order to train judges for the future intellectual property court, from 6 March to 7 July 2006 the Judicial Yuan is conducting a training course for specialist IP judges at the Judicial Yuan Per-sonnel Training Center. The President of the Judicial Yuan personally attended the opening ceremony and made a speech launching of the four-month course.
To improve the process for resolving IP disputes in Taiwan, from February 2004, the Judicial Yuan began to form specialist IP courts. After many discussions with various stakeholders, the Judicial Yuan has completed the drafting of two bills, the Organization Act of the Intellectual Property Court and the Reviewing Act for In-tellectual Property Cases. Both drafts have been approved by the Judicial Yuan and will soon be presented to the Legislative Yuan for review.
The IP court, which will have the status of a High Court, is due to formally commence operations in March 2007. During the coming year, the Judicial Yuan aims to complete the groundwork, including the training of specialist judges.
The current training course is being attended by 40 judges selected from the Taiwan High Court, the Taipei High Administrative Court, and various district courts. The course comprises 374 hours of class time, including common courses, specialist law classes, specialist IP classes, and classes in court practice. In addition to recruiting academic and non-academic IP experts in Taiwan to give lectures, the course also receives support from the Intellectual Prop-erty Office and other agencies.
The four month training is expected to enhance the participating judges'' professional expertise in the IP field, so that if in future they are appointed to the IP court, the court would be able to meet international standards in the handling of IP cases. This should enhance Taiwan''s national competitiveness and international image.