China to deepen reform of judicial accountability system

The Supreme People's Court (SPC) has issued a guideline on deepening the comprehensive and integrated reform of China's judicial accountability system.

The guideline covers five areas, including the political work of courts, the supervision of adjudication, frugality, reform of the personnel system and the allocation of resources, with 28 specific measures listed.

The guideline represents significant guidance for people's courts to enforce judicial accountability in all respects over the coming period, according to the SPC.

It highlights a system for monthly reports on interventions in and inquiries about cases, as well as sounder protection and encouragement for those handling the cases for which foul interventions and inquiries are recorded.

It asks people's courts at all levels to specify and modify their own adjudication powers and lists of responsibilities, based on "the deep understanding of the relationship between enforcing judicial accountability and implementing democratic centralism."

In conditions where superior people's courts fulfill their duties of guidance and supervision over lower courts, and where chief or presiding judges perform their duties of supervising adjudication within the powers of adjudication and list of responsibilities of their respective courts, it is not a violation of the regulations to intervene in and inquire about cases, the guideline reads.

The guideline also features measures on the personnel management of courts, such as furthering the dynamic management of the number of judges and improving the selection system and exit mechanism for judges.