At that time, Hsiao had been in the judiciary over ten years, but was still in a moderate position: senior judge and chief clerk of the Taichung district court of the Supreme Court.
當時年近不惑的蕭天讚已在司法界努力了十餘年，他不過是個中階層的公務員﹘﹘高等法院台中分院首席推事兼書記長。