Courts in east China city to go paperless

HANGZHOU -- Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, plans to introduce paperless litigation in local courts.

The filing system in the city's Intermediate People's Court and grassroots people's courts would be gradually digitized, with lawyers and litigants encouraged to file submissions via the Internet.

While promoting the use of electronic documents, "paperless litigation" is expected to enable the courts to handle all procedures online with advanced technologies including big data, artificial intelligence and blockchain, said Shao Jingteng, vice president of Hangzhou's Intermediate People's Court.

The entire litigation process will also be recorded on the Internet, Shao added.

Gao Fuping, a professor with East China University of Political Science and Law, said paperless litigation will not only save resources, but streamline litigation process and improve judicial transparency.

Zhejiang has pioneered online proceedings and established the country's first Internet court.