China Court System — Levels, Specialized Courts & Jurisdiction

China's court system has four levels: the Supreme People's Court, Higher, Intermediate, and Basic People's Courts, plus specialized courts for IP, finance, maritime, and internet disputes.

Four Court Levels

1. Supreme People's Court (SPC) — Highest judicial authority. Hears appeals from Higher Courts, issues judicial interpretations binding on all courts.
2. Higher People's Courts — Provincial/municipal level. First-instance for重大 cases; appeals from Intermediate Courts.
3. Intermediate People's Courts — Prefectural/city level. First-instance for foreign-related, IP, and重大 cases; appeals from Basic Courts.
4. Basic People's Courts — District/county level. First-instance for most civil and criminal cases.

Specialized Courts

• IP Courts — Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, plus 19 other cities. Patent and technology disputes.
• Financial Courts — Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu. Financial disputes including securities.
• Maritime Courts — 11 coastal cities. Maritime and shipping disputes.
• Internet Courts — Beijing, Guangzhou, Hangzhou. Online disputes.