Zhang Jun, president of the Supreme People’s Court (SPC), met with participants in a national training program on general research work for courts at the National Judges College on July 25. He called for high-quality research to support judicial practice and improve court work.

Effective implementation of the decisions and plans of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and provision of judicial support for advancing the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) require courts to gain an accurate understanding of current circumstances and make well-informed plans. The meeting focused on how general research can identify underlying problems, generate sound recommendations and better support the decision-making of court leaderships.

Zhang Jun, president of the Supreme People's Court, meets with participants in a national training program on general research work for courts at the National Judges College on July 25. [Photo/court.gov.cn]

During the meeting, representatives from the research offices of high, intermediate and primary people’s courts offered suggestions on improving mechanisms for delivering and evaluating judicial fairness and enhancing court work.

They discussed a wide range of topics, including improving the case review mechanism, making better use of the People’s Courts Case Database and the unified national digital platform for case handling and court administration, strengthening reasoning in judicial decisions, and evaluating judges on the basis of both their case handling capabilities and professional conduct.

Participants also proposed developing relatively uniform methodologies for fact-finding and the application of law and incorporating them into induction training programs and standardized textbooks for new judges. Other suggestions included strengthening adjudication management to improve the consistency of judicial decisions, combining the impartial adjudication of high-profile cases with public legal education, promoting market-oriented mediation, and providing stronger incentives for high-quality research.

Some participants shared local practices in preventing disputes at the source. Courts in certain areas, for example, have helped revise village rules and community conventions in response to frequent disputes involving rural tourism businesses and excessive betrothal gifts, producing positive results in early dispute resolution.

Representatives from the research offices of high, intermediate and primary people’s courts offer suggestions on improving mechanisms for delivering and evaluating judicial fairness and enhancing court work. [Photo/court.gov.cn]

Zhang exchanged views with the participants and responded to their proposals. He said adjudication data are an important resource for both adjudication management and judicial research. Researchers should conduct in-depth analyses to identify the underlying issues reflected in changes in the data and provide high-quality recommendations for decision-making, he added.

He also called on courts to actively participate in the standardized development of social governance centers, strengthen coordination with relevant institutions and make full use of the People’s Courts Case Database. Valuable research reports should be further refined and submitted promptly, he said, encouraging participants to learn from one another and apply what they have gained at the program to their respective work.

“The proposals are truly insightful, reflecting extensive research and in-depth study,” Zhang said.

He noted that regulating the exercise of judicial power and improving mechanisms for delivering and evaluating judicial fairness are essential for courts to meet new requirements and fulfill their role to uphold fairness and justice.

Regulating the exercise of judicial power is a prerequisite, while ensuring judicial fairness is the foundation, Zhang said. Courts should focus on their principal responsibilities, handle every case impartially and strictly in accordance with the law, and strengthen the people’s sense that fairness and justice have been served, he said. These efforts will help improve the mechanisms for evaluating judicial fairness and enhance the impartiality, consistency and authority of judicial decisions, he added.

Zhang set out three priorities for further strengthening general research work.

First, courts should fully recognize their responsibilities under new circumstances. High-quality economic and social development has created new demands for judicial services, while the public has higher expectations for fairness and justice, and courts are facing challenges arising from heavy caseloads and the difficulty of resolving disputes substantively. 

Courts should maintain a clear understanding of the situations and tasks they face, concentrate on adjudication and enforcement, deepen judicial reform and improve professional capacity. They should better perform their functions of punishing crime, protecting the people, resolving disputes and safeguarding justice, while contributing to security, stability and high-quality development.

Second, courts should uphold the leadership of the CPC, implement the decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee, perform their adjudicative functions proactively, and contribute to stronger law-based governance and better social governance.

Courts should adopt a people-centered approach and continually improve judicial work. Court personnel should identify shortcomings by assessing whether the people can perceive fairness and justice in every judicial case and considering cases from the litigants’ perspective. Political development and professional development should be advanced in an integrated manner, with greater emphasis on political competence, professional expertise and judicial ethics. Courts should strive to realize the integrity of political, legal and social effects in adjudication work.

Third, general research should be made more substantive and effective. Many of the problems courts face arise in the course of development, progress and the consolidation of reforms. Research officials should serve as effective advisers by conducting in-depth research, approaching problems with initiative and proposing practical and innovative recommendations.

They should gain a comprehensive understanding of court operations, particularly existing problems, and use in-depth analysis to present feasible suggestions. By fulfilling their responsibilities and producing tangible results, research officials will help advance the work of courts to a higher quality and better performance.

Officials from relevant departments of the Supreme People’s Court and all participants in the national training program attend the meeting. [Photo/court.gov.cn]

Mao Zhonghua, vice-president of the SPC, presided over the meeting. Sun Zhenping, head of the SPC’s Political Department, outlined requirements for the next stage of work.

Officials from relevant SPC departments and all participants in the national training program attended the meeting.