The Supreme People’s Court (SPC) held a symposium for judges and representatives of practicing lawyers on July 4 to discuss ways to deepen positive interactions between judges and lawyers, improve the realizing and evaluating mechanisms for judicial fairness and create greater synergies for advancing the development of the rule of law.
Zhang Jun, president of the SPC, attended the event.
The Supreme People’s Court (SPC) holds a symposium for judges and representatives of lawyers on July 4. Zhang Jun, president of the SPC, attends the event. [Photo/court.gov.cn]
Following brief opening remarks, 12 lawyers delivered remarks, raising more than 50 questions and suggestions on judicial practice.
Twelve lawyers deliver remarks at the symposium. [Photo/court.gov.cn]
Their remarks covered a wide range of topics, such as safeguarding the right of lawyers to practice, improving communication between judges and lawyers and enhancing judicial reasoning in court decisions. Other topics included promoting commercial mediation, expanding the use of case databases, enhancing judicial services for foreign-related cases and improving judicial services in remote border regions.
Responding to their comments, Zhang emphasized that judges and lawyers should maintain proper professional interactions characterized by mutual support and mutual supervision.
He said judges must respect and safeguard the lawful practice of lawyers, while the latter themselves should perform their professional duties and protect the lawful rights and interests of their clients in accordance with the law. Both sides should work together to ensure the effective implementation of relevant institutional arrangements.
Addressing concerns over communication with judges, Zhang noted that the 12368 litigation service hotline and the integrated online case handling system have provided more convenient channels for lawyers to contact judges, adding that successful local practices would be summarized and promoted more broadly.
On judicial reasoning, Zhang said that strengthening explanations of legal reasoning in judgments and fully responding to lawyers’ opinions would help improve judicial credibility and facilitate the resolution of disputes.
Referring to lawyers providing public-interest legal services, he encouraged courts in border regions to hold regular communication with legal aid lawyers lawyers, listen to their opinions and suggestions, and promote mutual learning and capacity building.
Regarding commercial dispute resolution, Zhang welcomed the suggestion on further promoting lawyer-involved mediation alongside people's mediation — stressing the importance of implementing relevant regulations and making better use of diversified dispute resolution mechanisms.
He also encouraged lawyers to participate in the development of judicial case databases by recommending and preparing representative cases.
On judicial services for foreign-related cases, Zhang said that high-level opening-up has placed higher requirements on judicial services. He noted that the draft revision of the Lawyers Law has also introduced relevant provisions reflecting this policy orientation. The SPC is strengthening the use of information technology to improve its capacity in areas such as the ascertainment of foreign law and cross-border service of process, he said.
Zhang called on courts at all levels to establish more regular channels for communication with lawyers, actively solicit their opinions, and proactively accept supervision so as to continuously improve adjudication and enforcement.
He noted in recent years, courts, judicial administrative authorities, and lawyers' associations have made steady progress in strengthening judicial work and legal practice through closer cooperation.
The candid and constructive suggestions put forward by the 12 lawyer representatives, he said, would help ensure the effective implementation of the important task set out in the outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30).
Moving forward, courts should continue supporting lawyers in performing their duties in accordance with the law, improve relevant mechanisms, strengthen the regulated exercise of judicial power, deepen constructive interaction with the legal profession, and work together to improve the mechanism for realizing and evaluating judicial fairness, he said.
He said these efforts will build greater synergies for advancing the rule of law in all respects and ensuring that the people feel fairness and justice in every judicial case.
Mao Zhonghua, vice-president of the SPC, presided over the symposium. Officials from the SPC’s departments, the Ministry of Justice, and the All China Lawyers Association also attended event.
