China intellectual property rights courts efficient in operations

Three courts specializing in intellectual property rights (IPR) have received more than 10,000 cases since the first was set up in Beijing in Nov. 2014, according to the Supreme People's Court (SPC).

The courts in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou were established in line with an SPC proposal last year to handle a growing number of IPR cases more efficiently and without jurisdiction limits. The jurisdiction of most Chinese courts is equivalent to that of administrative divisions, restricting the business of an intermediate city court within that city.

"Judges of these IPR courts have been hearing cases with evidently increased efficiency," said Wang Chuang, a senior SPC judge in charge of IPR cases, Wednesday at a press conference.

The three courts mainly deal with cross-regional civil and administrative lawsuits regarding patents, new plant varieties, integrated circuit layout design and technological knowledge.

According to Wang, the courts had closed a combined 4,160 cases as of Aug. 20, among which the Beijing court handled 2,348 cases.

"Chief judges with the Beijing and Guangzhou courts have each finished more than 100 cases," Wang said. Judges with the Beijing court reportedly have an average 10 years experience of IPR cases.

Chinese courts hear about 110,000 IPR cases annually and this is expected to increase.

Source: XINHUA