Beijing courts resume on-the-spot services

BEIJING -- Courts at all levels in Beijing reopened case filing halls, litigation service halls and reception venues for public complaints as of Thursday, according to the Higher People's Court of Beijing.

Litigants, lawyers and other participants of lawsuits are required to wear masks throughout the proceedings. When entering these reception venues, they will undergo security checks, have their body temperatures taken and show their health codes and valid identification cards.

Anyone who has symptoms such as fever, cough or dyspnea will not be allowed to enter.

To reduce the risk of the spread of the epidemic, courts at all levels in Beijing will limit the number of people entering at the same time according to the size of the reception venues.

China moved the courts online after the country was hit by the coronavirus epidemic. To prevent the gathering of people, "contactless" trials had been conducted through video calls with separate computer screens presenting images of the judges, prosecutors and defendants.

After the resumption of the on-the-spot services of the courts in Beijing, the online filing and other online litigation services will still be available. Litigants can continue to submit litigation materials by mail.