(Adopted at the 15th session of the Standing Committee of the Thirteenth National People’s Congress on December 28, 2019)

In order to further optimize the allocation of judicial resources, promote the separation between complicated cases and simple ones, between minor cases and major ones, and between summary trial cases and ordinary ones, deepen the reform of the civil procedure system, improve judicial efficiency, promote judicial justice, it is hereby decided at the 15th session of the Standing Committee of the Thirteenth National People's Congress to:

Authorize the Supreme People's Court to carry out the pilot program of the reform of separating cases between complicated cases and simple ones under civil procedure in intermediate People's courts and basic People's courts within the jurisdiction of Beijing and Shanghai; the intermediate People's courts of Nanjing, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Hefei, Fuzhou, Xiamen, Jinan, Zhengzhou, Luoyang, Wuhan, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Guiyang, Kunming, Xi'an, and Yinchuan and the basic People's courts within the jurisdiction of the aforesaid cities; the Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou Intellectual Property Courts; the Shanghai Financial Court; and the Beijing, Hangzhou, and Guangzhou Internet Courts in terms of optimizing judicial confirmation procedure, small claims procedure and summary procedure, expanding application scope of sole-judge trial, and improving electronic litigation rules.

During the term of the pilot program, the pilot courts shall temporarily adjust the application of paragraphs 1 and 2 of Article 39, paragraph 1 of Article 40, paragraph 1 of Article 87, Article 162, paragraph 1 of Article 169, and Article 194 of the Civil Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China. The pilot program shall follow the basic principles as prescribed in the Civil Procedure Law, fully safeguard the litigation rights of the parties, promote the improvement of judicial efficiency, and guarantee judicial justice. The Supreme People's Court shall take the lead in analyzing and preparing the specific measures for the pilot program and such measures shall be filed with the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress. The term of the pilot program shall be two years, commencing from the date of issuance of the Measures for the pilot program.

he Supreme People's Court shall strengthen the organization of, guidance to, supervision, and inspection of the pilot program. In the process of conducting the pilot program, the Supreme People's Court shall make an interim report on the progress of the pilot program to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress. Upon expiration of the pilot program, for those proved practicable, the relevant laws shall be amended and improved; and for those proved otherwise in practice, the implementation of the relevant legal provisions shall be resumed.

This Decision shall be effective on December 29, 2019.