China's grassroots courts urged to improve efficiency
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China's Supreme People's Court on Tuesday issued a circular urging people's courts at grassroots levels to efficiently handle their work and reduce appeals as law cases increase.
Figures show that about 80 percent of court staff are working at grassroots people's courts, and that 90 percent of lawsuits are received at the grassroots level.
Grassroots courts are facing severe test as various social contradictions swarm to the courts in the form of law cases, said SPC spokesman Sun Jungong on Tuesday, adding causes of the social contradictions are more complicated.
The circular provided detailed requirements for grassroots courts in facilitating litigation for civilians. This ensures the role of civilian juries during trials and improves the current mediation system.
Addressing the issue of courts being overloaded by lawsuits, the circular called for the improvement of recruitment policies at provincial levels and for the broadening of sources for the selection of judges.
China currently has 3,115 people's courts and 9,880 courtrooms at the grassroots level.
