Japanese bishops: Priests should refuse to serve as lay judges

July 28, 2009

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Japan is urging priests to pay fines of up to $1,050 rather than accept a summons to serve as a lay judge. In the newly introduced lay-judge system, citizens serve alongside judges in major criminal cases.

 

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Further information:

• Japan’s Catholic Clergy Opt Out of Lay Judge Duty, Asahi Says (Bloomberg)