Page 12 - 2017 Policy Watch
P. 12
icy Watch: The Circuit Courts of the Supreme People’s Court
The Power of the Circuit Courts CThirecuSiteCleocutirotsn of Judges of the
The circuit courts are the standing judicial organs The judicial personnel of circuit courts mainly consists
and branch offices of the Supreme People’s Court, rather of the chief judges, deputy chief judges, anti-corruption
than independent courts. The judgments, rulings, and supervisors, trial judges, trial auxiliary personnel and
decisions that are rendered or made by the circuit courts comprehensive administrators and personnel management
are the judgments, rulings, and decisions of the Supreme specialists. The chief judge and deputy chief judge of the
People’s Court. However, the work of the circuit courts shall circuit courts of the Supreme People’s Court are selected
be under the supervision and guidance of the Supreme from the current leaders and the various divisions of the
People’s Court. Supreme People’s Court and appointed by the Standing
Committee of National People’s Congress. The trial judges
The circuit courts have the following characteristics shall be selected from the civil, administrative and other
compared with the Supreme People’s Court: tribunals of the Supreme People’s Court and shall rotate
once every two years. Each trial judge is equipped with a
(1) the main function of the Circuit Courts is handling judge’s assistant and a clerk to form a trial team, in charge
cases; they are not involved in judicial interpretation and of a trial, ancillary trial and routine work respectively. The
the management of judicial administrative affairs; General Office shall be responsible for the comprehensive
administration, judicial investigation and research, logistics,
(2) if the Supreme People’s Court holds a case accepted political and supervisory work. No separate organizations
by a circuit court is of great significance to unified application are established in the current structure.
of laws, such a case shall be transferred to the Supreme
People’s Court for trial; and Both the chief judge of the First and Second Circuit
Courts are now held by the full-time members at the vice-
(3) the circuit courts have established anti-corruption ministerial level of the Trial Committee of the Supreme
supervisors against corruption, in charge of the daily People’s Court. The deputy chief judge’s positions are held
supervisory work against corruption of the circuit courts by the current chief and deputy chief leaders of the civil
and in addition, the Supervision Bureau of the Supreme and administrative trial tribunals. The trial judges’ positions
People’s Court conducts anti-corruption supervision of the are mainly held by excellent judges or acting judges of
circuit courts and their personnel by accepting reports and current civil and administrative trial departments.
complaints, investigating cases of disciplinary violations,
conducting judicial circuit inspection and trial supervision The average age of the five Chief Judges and deputy
and undertaking other activities. chief judges of the First and Second Circuit Courts is
52.5 years. Four of them have PhDs at law and two of
12 them are nationwide trial professional experts who have
been awarded the title of Ten Excellent Young Jurists
Nationwide. The average age of the Trial Judges is 47.5
years, all having a master’s degree or above and several
of them with PhD’s at law. The trial judges have more than
15 years of trial experience on average and the capability
to handle significant, difficult cases and issue judgments
independently. Several of them are trial experts nationwide
and have been awarded titles of Excellent Judges
Nationwide, Case Handling Models Nationwide, etc. The
Trial Judges come from various tribunals including case
filing, civil and commercial, criminal, administrative, Hong
Kong, Macao and Taiwan-related, trial and supervision
The Power of the Circuit Courts CThirecuSiteCleocutirotsn of Judges of the
The circuit courts are the standing judicial organs The judicial personnel of circuit courts mainly consists
and branch offices of the Supreme People’s Court, rather of the chief judges, deputy chief judges, anti-corruption
than independent courts. The judgments, rulings, and supervisors, trial judges, trial auxiliary personnel and
decisions that are rendered or made by the circuit courts comprehensive administrators and personnel management
are the judgments, rulings, and decisions of the Supreme specialists. The chief judge and deputy chief judge of the
People’s Court. However, the work of the circuit courts shall circuit courts of the Supreme People’s Court are selected
be under the supervision and guidance of the Supreme from the current leaders and the various divisions of the
People’s Court. Supreme People’s Court and appointed by the Standing
Committee of National People’s Congress. The trial judges
The circuit courts have the following characteristics shall be selected from the civil, administrative and other
compared with the Supreme People’s Court: tribunals of the Supreme People’s Court and shall rotate
once every two years. Each trial judge is equipped with a
(1) the main function of the Circuit Courts is handling judge’s assistant and a clerk to form a trial team, in charge
cases; they are not involved in judicial interpretation and of a trial, ancillary trial and routine work respectively. The
the management of judicial administrative affairs; General Office shall be responsible for the comprehensive
administration, judicial investigation and research, logistics,
(2) if the Supreme People’s Court holds a case accepted political and supervisory work. No separate organizations
by a circuit court is of great significance to unified application are established in the current structure.
of laws, such a case shall be transferred to the Supreme
People’s Court for trial; and Both the chief judge of the First and Second Circuit
Courts are now held by the full-time members at the vice-
(3) the circuit courts have established anti-corruption ministerial level of the Trial Committee of the Supreme
supervisors against corruption, in charge of the daily People’s Court. The deputy chief judge’s positions are held
supervisory work against corruption of the circuit courts by the current chief and deputy chief leaders of the civil
and in addition, the Supervision Bureau of the Supreme and administrative trial tribunals. The trial judges’ positions
People’s Court conducts anti-corruption supervision of the are mainly held by excellent judges or acting judges of
circuit courts and their personnel by accepting reports and current civil and administrative trial departments.
complaints, investigating cases of disciplinary violations,
conducting judicial circuit inspection and trial supervision The average age of the five Chief Judges and deputy
and undertaking other activities. chief judges of the First and Second Circuit Courts is
52.5 years. Four of them have PhDs at law and two of
12 them are nationwide trial professional experts who have
been awarded the title of Ten Excellent Young Jurists
Nationwide. The average age of the Trial Judges is 47.5
years, all having a master’s degree or above and several
of them with PhD’s at law. The trial judges have more than
15 years of trial experience on average and the capability
to handle significant, difficult cases and issue judgments
independently. Several of them are trial experts nationwide
and have been awarded titles of Excellent Judges
Nationwide, Case Handling Models Nationwide, etc. The
Trial Judges come from various tribunals including case
filing, civil and commercial, criminal, administrative, Hong
Kong, Macao and Taiwan-related, trial and supervision
