According to the official social media account of the Ministry of Justice on 15 July 2021, China’s People's Assessor Law has achieved good results since its entry into force in April 2018. To date, the total number of people’s assessors nationwide has exceeded 316,000, about 50% more than before. Compared with the past, people's assessors come from a wider range of sources now, with a further balance between their gender ratio and occupational distribution, and an increasingly reasonable educational background and age structure. Being more extensive and representative, people's assessors are playing a more and more important role in participating in and supervising the administration of justice.
Pursuant to the People's Assessor Law, a citizen shall have the right and obligation to serve as a people's assessor. A people's assessor may participate in judicial activities and voice his opinions independently. A people's assessor may participate in a three-person or seven-person collegial bench. In a three-person collegial bench, a people's assessor may independently voice his or her opinions on the fact-finding or the application of law, and exercise his or her voting right. In a seven-person collegial bench, a people's assessor may independently voice his or her opinions on the fact-finding and exercise his or her voting right together with the judges. As to the application of law, the people's assessor may voice his or her opinions, but may not cast a vote. The selection and appointment of people's assessors shall mainly be based on random selection and supplemented by individual applications and recommendations by organizations.
Cover Photo by Robynne Hu (https://unsplash.com/@robynnexy) on Unsplash
Contributors: CJO Staff Contributors Team
