China Improves Administration of Grass-roots CourtsChina is to adopt strong measures to improve the overall quality of the judges at the grass- roots courts, China's top judge Xiao Yang said Friday."Intensifying the building of grass-roots courts and ensuring justice are of vital importance to social stability and economic development," said Xiao, president of China's Supreme People's Court, at a national meeting. In 1999, grass-roots courts at the county-level and below handled 5.53 million cases, making up 89 percent of all the cases of the country. They also enforced 2.48 million court orders in response to requests of litigants, accounting for 93 percent of all court orders. According to an ambitious reform plan advocated by the top judge, an open and fair nationwide examination for judges will be held to enroll new judges. Those who are not enrolled according to relevant stipulations will be removed from courts. By the end of 2001, the judges will be held independently responsible for cases they handle, and their judgment will no longer be subject to approval by court officials, Xiao stressed. Meanwhile, a classified management system will be established soon to facilitate the administration of different personnel in courts such as judges, secretaries, administrators and police. |
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