最高人民法院近日正式对外发布《人民法院工作年度报告（2009）》，这是最高法院60年以来首度发布年度报告。
2009年，最高人民法院受理案件13318件，审结11749件，同比分别上升26.20%和52.09%；地方各级法院受理案件11378875件，审执结10544736件，标的额16707.01亿元，同比分别上升6.26%、7.17%和16.42%。自2005年以来案件量年均递增5.95%，2009年案件量比1978年增长了19.87倍。
In its move to promote work transparency, China’s Supreme People’s Court (SPC) has recently issued a report detailing the workload of national courts. Although similar reports have been issued every year at the National People's Congress session, the first mid-year report is said to be a lot more comprehensive, giving specific figures and illustrations which aim to provide the public with full details about the courts’ achievements in 2009.
In its move to promote work transparency, China’s Supreme People’s Court (SPC) has recently issued a report detailing the workload of national courts. Although similar reports have been issued every year at the National People's Congress session, the first mid-year report is said to be a lot more comprehensive, giving specific figures and illustrations which aim to provide the public with full details about the courts’ achievements in 2009.An interesting point highlighted by the report is the alarming number of cases tried by the SPC: it dealt with 13,318 cases and ruled on 11,749 cases in 2009. In comparison, the US Supreme Court ruled on fewer than 100 cases in the same time period.
Zhang Changqing, a partner with Zhenghan Law Firm, said the massive difference is due to the different court structures and judicial systems operating in the two countries. “Each case in China gets a maximum of two hearings, and appeals for a second hearing go straight to the Supreme Court,” explained Zhang.
As a whole, the report is largely seen as a milestone in the government’s push towards transparency. “According to the government’s Open Government Information Policy, there are no requirements for the SPC to release such a report. It is an initiative on the SPC’s part,” said Chen Yaoquan, a commercial and corporate group partner with litigation boutique firm Tiantong & Partners.
In addition to case statistics, the report also reveals information about several landmark cases, including those of drunk driver Sun Weiming’s death sentence (the first capital punishment verdict handed down in China) and former SPC vice president Huang Songyou’s life imprisonment. “The report addresses public concerns regarding case issues and sentences. This reflects the government’s willingness to receive public supervision,” said Chen.
The workload report, to be released annually, should boost confidence in the PRC judicial system. “The report is a very reliable source of information for the public and it increases the credibility of the courts. I believe that more legal work is going to stem from the confidence that people have in the legal system,” said Chen.
The litigation sector is already healthy: Tiantong reported 100% growth in work volumes for 2009, 90% of its total revenue coming from high-end corporate litigation. ALB
| • Dealt with 13,318 cases • Ruled on 11,749 cases, up 52% year-on-year • Civilian jurors increased from 57,000 to 77,000 year-on-year • Civilian opinion taken into account in 632,00 cases, up 25% year-on-year • Each Chinese judge heard an average of 55 cases nationally but in some local courts, one Chinese judge heard more than 280 cases on average |
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