Lai In-jaw

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
Lai in 2023
9th Chief Justice of Taiwan
In office 1 October 2007 – 18 July 2010
President	Chen Shui-bian Ma Ying-jeou
Preceded by	Weng Yueh-sheng
Succeeded by	Hsieh Tsay-chuan (acting) Rai Hau-min
15th Deputy Chief Justice of Taiwan
In office 7 April 2006 – 1 October 2007
Chief Justice	Weng Yueh-sheng
Preceded by	Cheng Chun-mo
Succeeded by	Hsieh Tsay-chuan
18th Vice Premier of the Republic of China
In office 6 October 2000 – 1 February 2002
Premier	Chang Chun-hsiung
Preceded by	Chang Chun-hsiung
Succeeded by	Lin Hsin-i
2nd Vice Governor of Taiwan Province
In office 1 July 1996 – 1 July 1998
Governor	James Soong
Preceded by	Lin Fong-cheng
Succeeded by	Position abolished
Personal details
Born	(1946-08-24) 24 August 1946 (age 78) Jiaoxi, Yilan County, Taiwan
Education	National Ilan University (BS) National Chung Hsing University (LLB) National Taiwan University (LLM) Harvard University (LLM, SJD)

In this Chinese name, the family name is Lai.

Lai In-Jaw
Traditional Chinese	賴英照
Simplified Chinese	赖英照
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Laì Yīnzhaò Wade–Giles Laì Yìn-chaò Southern Min Hokkien POJ Lōa Eng-chiàu

Early life and education

Lai was born in Jiaoxi Township, Yilan County. As a child, his father gifted him a copy of Three Hundred Tang Poems, which he memorized. He achieved outstanding grades in primary school and enrolled in a five-year degree program at the Taiwan Provincial Ilan School of Agriculture and Forestry (now National Ilan University). After graduating, he completed mandatory military service in the Republic of China Armed Forces and simultaneously studied for the college entrance exam.^[1]

Upon finishing military service, Lai was admitted to study law at National Chung Hsing University, where he attended night classes, worked for the National Youth Division of Taiwan and the Taipei City Government, and graduated as valedictorian.^[1] 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 law professor Louis Loss. He earned another Master of Laws (LL.M.) and a Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.) in 1977 and 1981, respectively, from Harvard Law School.

Career

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.