How China leverages technology to empower the judiciary in the digital age

As China steps into a new phase of digital and intelligent development, the country is actively leveraging scientific and technological innovation to enhance judicial governance, improve litigation efficiency and reinforce the credibility of the rule of law.

From smart case-handling tools powered by artificial intelligence (AI) to the institutionalized operation of internet courts and the nationwide application of big-data-based legal supervision models, China is building a modern, coordinated and technology-supported judicial system aligned with the realities of the digital era.

'Digital court' pilot offers glimpse of future justice

The evolving digital judicial reform can be observed through practical innovation at the grassroots level. The Kunshan People's Court in east China's Jiangsu Province has developed and deeply integrated AI-powered case-assistance systems to form a "digital court" that improves transparency, accuracy and efficiency.

Inside the property-related civil case presided over by Judge Zhao Yating at the Property Integration Tribunal, an AI assistant system automatically sorted litigation files, summarized case elements and highlighted key legal questions, including whether the property management company had fulfilled its duty of safety protection. After the hearing, Zhao generated more than 70 percent of the judgment draft with a single click.

"Although the language and style still require refinement by human judges, the reasoning and outcome are highly satisfactory," Zhao said, noting that AI is becoming "a reliable companion on the road toward judicial fairness," allowing complex cases to become more structured and better supported by factual logic.

Internet courts establish new digital justice model

Justice is a key means of protecting human rights. With the widespread application of "Internet Plus" and the rapid growth of the platform economy, traditional judicial remedies struggle to address the surge in internet-related disputes.

To respond to rapidly growing online disputes and new digital-era legal challenges, China established the world's first internet court in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, in August 2017, followed by national capital Beijing and Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, in 2018. Cases are processed fully online, covering filing, evidence verification, hearings and rulings, forming a complete digital litigation chain.

In 2023, the three internet courts handled 70,635 cases, with online filing, remote hearing and electronic service rates reaching 98.05 percent, 99.71 percent and 88.18 percent, respectively. Major efficiency and quality indicators, including reversal and remand rates, satisfaction and trial duration, also outperformed traditional courts, according to official data.

This mechanism has provided a precise response to emerging problems such as digital evidence review, online platform disputes and cross-platform data examination and has become a model of digital justice with Chinese characteristics.

Big-data legal supervision model strengthens national governance

China's top procuratorate is also advancing digital transformation by building a big-data-based legal supervision system capable of identifying case leads, strengthening evidence chains and ensuring full-process supervision. By November 2024, over 6,000 supervision models had been developed nationwide, identifying more than 600,000 potential leads, forming 140,000 formal cases and recovering over 10 billion yuan ($1.4 billion) in economic losses.

More than 580 replicable and scalable models have been included in the national platform, enabling standardized deployment across multiple judicial fields, including criminal, civil, administrative and public interest litigation. According to an official from the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, the model reshapes supervision philosophy, mechanisms and practice, representing a breakthrough in solving long-standing supervision difficulties.

An official with the digital office of the Supreme People's Procuratorate said that the systematic development of big-data legal supervision application scenarios aligns with the evolving supervision environment in the digital era and has achieved major breakthroughs in identifying supervision clues. The initiative has also spurred innovation in supervision concepts, methods and mechanisms, supporting the transformation of the country's legal supervision model.

"Human rights are a hallmark of human civilization progress, and the rule of law is their most effective guarantee. China has always prioritized human rights protection. As society advances digitally and intelligently, it further emphasizes safeguarding citizens' emerging rights through the rule of law, forging a Chinese solution for human rights protection in the digital-intelligent era," said Zhang Xinping, vice dean of the Institute of Digital Rule of Law, Central South University in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province.

While addressing judicial challenges posed by digital-intelligent technologies, China vigorously promotes tech empowerment in judicial adjudication, integrating justice with digital intelligence, the professor said, noting that this strengthens judicial protection of citizens' legitimate rights in the digital-intelligent era, striving to ensure people feel justice in every case.