An appeal by defence counsel after the defendant has died

1. 01Question

   Where the defendant has died, may his spouse, lineal relatives, siblings or his counsel and agent below still appeal in his stead, and may counsel appeal seeking dismissal of the indictment when the trial court ignored the death and rendered a guilty judgment?

2. 02Holding

   In principle no. Article 341(1) and (2) of the Criminal Procedure Act lets the spouse, lineal relatives, siblings, agent or counsel below appeal for the defendant only so long as it does not run against the defendant's expressed will, and that is not an independent right of their own but only an exercise of the defendant's right of appeal by representation, so the right lapses when the defendant dies. The exception is narrow: where the defendant has died and a ruling dismissing the indictment should have been entered under Article 328(1)(2) or Article 363(1), but the trial court ignored the death and rendered a guilty judgment, counsel may exceptionally appeal in order to have that corrected, seeking dismissal of the indictment.

   Summary of the holding, verbatim

   피고인이 사망한 때에는 상소권이 소멸하여 그 대리권자인 원심의 변호인 등은 상소를 제기할 수 없는 것이 원칙이다. 다만 피고인이 사망한 경우 형사소송법 제328조 제1항 제2호나 제363조 제1항에 따라 공소기각 결정이 내려졌어야 함에도 사실심 법원이 피고인의 사망사실을 간과한 채 유죄판결을 선고한 때에는, 그 시정을 위하여 원심의 변호인 등이 예외적으로 공소기각 결정을 구하는 취지의 상소를 제기할 수 있다고 보아야 한다.

   Unofficial English translation

   Where a defendant has died, the right to appeal is extinguished and, as a rule, the attorney of the court below and others who hold the authority of representation cannot file an appeal. However, where a decision of dismissal of prosecution should have been rendered pursuant to Article 328 (1) 2 or Article 363 (1) of the Criminal Procedure Act because the defendant has died, but the court of fact rendered a conviction overlooking the fact of the defendant's death, it must be regarded that, in order to remedy this, the attorney of the court below and others may exceptionally file an appeal seeking a decision of dismissal of prosecution.

3. 03Disposition

   Other Stated in the decision

   이 사건 공소를 기각한다.

   Unofficial English translation

   The public prosecution in this case is dismissed.

4. 04Form of the test

   Elements stated Stated in the decision

   다만 피고인이 사망한 경우 형사소송법 제328조 제1항 제2호나 제363조 제1항에 따라 공소기각 결정이 내려졌어야 함에도 사실심 법원이 피고인의 사망사실을 간과한 채 유죄판결을 선고한 때에는, 그 시정을 위하여 원심의 변호인 등이 예외적으로 공소기각 결정을 구하는 취지의 상소를 제기할 수 있다고 보아야 한다.

   Unofficial English translation

   However, where a decision of dismissal of prosecution should have been rendered pursuant to Article 328 (1) 2 or Article 363 (1) of the Criminal Procedure Act because the defendant has died, but the court of fact rendered a conviction overlooking the fact of the defendant's death, it must be regarded that, in order to remedy this, the attorney of the court below and others may exceptionally file an appeal seeking a decision of dismissal of prosecution.

5. 05Factors

   • 피고인의 배우자, 직계친족, 형제자매 또는 원심의 대리인이나 변호인(이하 통틀어 ‘원심의 변호인 등’이라 한다)은 피고인의 명시한 의사에 반하지 않는 한 피고인을 위하여 상소할 수 있는데
   • 원심의 변호인 등에게 고유의 상소권을 인정한 것이 아니고 피고인의 상소권을 대리하여 행사하게 한 것에 불과하므로
   • 피고인이 사망한 때에는 상소권이 소멸하여 그 대리권자인 원심의 변호인 등은 상소를 제기할 수 없는 것이 원칙이다
   • 형사소송법 제328조 제1항 제2호나 제363조 제1항에 따라 공소기각 결정이 내려졌어야 함에도 사실심 법원이 피고인의 사망사실을 간과한 채 유죄판결을 선고한 때에는

   Unofficial English translation

   • The defendant's spouse, lineal relatives, siblings, or the agent or attorney of the court below (hereinafter collectively referred to as 'the attorney of the court below and others') may appeal on behalf of the defendant unless contrary to the defendant's express intention; and

   • the right to appeal independently held by the attorney of the court below and others has not been recognized; what has been done is no more than to have them exercise the defendant's right to appeal on the defendant's behalf; and therefore

   • where a defendant has died, the right to appeal is extinguished and, as a rule, the attorney of the court below and others who hold the authority of representation cannot file an appeal; and

   • where a decision of dismissal of prosecution should have been rendered pursuant to Article 328 (1) 2 or Article 363 (1) of the Criminal Procedure Act, but the court of fact rendered a conviction overlooking the fact of the defendant's death,

6. 06Relation to precedent

   Follows earlier decisions Stated in the decision

   대법원 1998. 3. 27. 선고 98도253 판결, 대법원 2014. 9. 26. 자 2014도8268 결정 등 참조

   Unofficial English translation

   See Supreme Court Decision 98Do253 decided March 27, 1998; Supreme Court Decision 2014Do8268 decided September 26, 2014, etc.

   Decisions referred to

   대법원 1998. 3. 27. 선고 98도253 판결(공1998상, 1264), 대법원 2014. 9. 26. 자 2014도8268 결정

7. 07Burden of proof

   Not addressed Not in the decision

8. 08Open question and revisit condition

   If the defendant dies after the judgment below has become final but before it is carried out, may the counsel of record have the judgment annulled and the prosecution dismissed?

   Any amendment to Article 328(1) or Article 341 of the Criminal Procedure Act that changes who may appeal or when a death requires dismissal would make this entry be read again, as would a later Supreme Court decision that narrows or widens the exception stated here.

Read 2026-10-24 · Cross-read 2026-10-24. All quotes matched against the official text. The Chinese-character placeholders the court used for anonymised parties are given in their Korean readings, and parenthetical Chinese-character glosses are omitted.

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