China to introduce jury trials first time starting next week

Posted by Tony Chen | Apr 30, 2005

China will introduce jury trials next week for the first time aiming to bring impartiality and independence to the judicial system.

About 27,000 jurors will report for duty May 1, helping decide criminal and civil cases as they sit on a three-member panel with judges. The jurors were picked by half of China’s 2,900 grass-root courts and will have powers equal to those judges, China’s Supreme Court said on its Web site today. A total of 53,734 jurors will be selected and serve a five- year term.

Categories : Law