Morley Shih

In this Chinese name, the family name is Shih.

Shih Mao-lin (Chinese: 施茂林; pinyin: Shī Màolín; born 2 August 1950), also known by his English name Morley Shih, is a Taiwanese lawyer 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.

Shih Mao-lin
施茂林
Minister of Justice of the Republic of China
In office 1 February 2005 – 19 May 2008
Deputy	Lee Chin-yung
Preceded by	Chen Ding-nan
Succeeded by	Wang Ching-feng
Personal details
Born	(1950-08-02) 2 August 1950 (age 75) Chiayi, Taiwan
Education	National Taiwan University (LLB)

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]