The people’s courts are judicial organs of the
state. The Supreme People’s Court is established at
the state level, higher people’s courts are
established in provinces, autonomous regions and
municipalities directly under the Central Government, and
intermediate and basic people’s courts at lower
levels. The Supreme People’s Court, the highest state
judicial organ, is responsible to the NPC and its Standing
Committee and supervises the judicial work of the local
people’s courts, military courts and other special
courts. The president of the Supreme People’s Court is
Xiao Yang.
The people’s courts try all
cases publicly, except those involving state secrets,
individual privacy or minors. The accused has the right to
defense. Besides the right to defend himself/herself, he or
she may also be represented by a lawyer or ask near
relatives or guardians to defend him/her.
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