China's top court urges strict prohibition of intervening justice administration

BEIJING -- China's Supreme People's Court has released a document urging people's courts to strictly prohibit any actions that may affect the administration of justice.

The document listed court staff actions that are against regulations and constitute intervention of the administration of justice. It includes interceding for litigants and seeking inside information on their behalf, accepting benefits in return for favors, and soliciting clients for lawyers, among others.

Should such actions take place, courts are to record the incidents and report them to relevant departments.

The document also noted that any attempt to intervene in the justice administration by officials outside the judicial system, including their staff or relatives, will go on the record and be reported.

The document required courts to include the oversight as routine and actively accept supervision from litigants, lawyers, and the general public.