In February 2024, China’s Supreme People’s Court (SPC) announced the official launch of the People’s Courts Case Database and made it available to the public. The website address is http://rmfyalk.court.gov.cn. After registering and logging in, the public can access the database.
Prior to the launch of the People’s Courts Case Database, there was widespread discussion about whether its launch implied the closure of the widely used Chinese Judgments Online. As the flagship platform of China’s open justice, the Chinese Judgments Online has been in operation since 2013 and has collected over 140 million documents.
Following the launch of the People’s Courts Case Database, the SPC officials responded to public concerns by clarifying that the database is open to the public and complements, rather than replaces, the China Judgments Online.
Unlike the China Judgments Online, which focuses on the analysis and applications of judicial big data, the Case Database aims to collect authoritative cases that have been reviewed and approved by the SPC, and have reference and exemplary value for similar cases. It provides judges with case references for adjudication. When handling cases, the courts must consult the Case Database and refer to similar cases in the database to ensure uniform application of the law.
By the end of February, the People’s Courts Case Database had collected more than 3,700 cases.
Photo by Joshua Fernandez on Unsplash
Contributors: CJO Staff Contributors Team
