The sixth meeting of the 13th National People's Congress Standing Committee on Oct 26 adopted a draft of revisions of the law on courts' organization, to improve the trial system and judges' professional abilities.

According to the leader of the SPC's research department, the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Organization of the People’s Courts has only been partially revised three times in the past nearly 40 years since its promulgation in 1979.

Therefore, items of the former law can no longer meet the needs of the socialism judicial practices and systems with Chinese characteristics in the New Era.

The SPC has made efforts to promote judicial reform by improving modernization of trial mechanisms and has been required to strengthen the management of all departments since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.

After the amendments, the number of the articles in the law increased to 59 from 40 and the organizational system and SPC's functions were completed and improved.

According to the revision, special courts for cases related to military, maritime, intellectual property and financial affairs will be set up and the top court is to have rights to establish circuit courts.

Regulations on the judicial committees are a main part of the amendments. They clarify the relation between the judicial committees and specialized civil and criminal committees of the SPC and local high and intermediate courts.

Constructing a normalized, professional and specialized team of judges has been a goal of judicial reform. Strict entry process and recruitment requirements of judges are also included in the amendments. For all appointed judges theoretical and practical training must be provided.