Author
Prof Jing Lin
Organisation/Institution
China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL)
Country
CHINA
Panel
Law and Society
Title
Transforming Justice: The Development and Impact of E-justice in China
Abstract
China’s judicial system is undergoing a profound digital transformation under the banner of “E-Justice” , driven by national strategies like the “Internet Plus” initiative and the construction of “Smart Courts.” This paper examines the evolution and impact of China’s e-justice movement, drawing on legal basis, policy documents and empirical studies. The analysis reveals three interconnected pillars. 1.Infrastructure & Data Integration: Nationwide deployment of cloud-based court information systems (e.g., the “People’s Court Information Network 4.0”) enabling unified case management, electronic filing, and blockchain-based evidence preservation. 2.AI-Driven Judicial Assistance: Implementation of AI tools for tasks ranging from legal document review and case prediction to intelligent trial assistance systems, enhancing efficiency while raising questions about standardization and human oversight. 3.Online Dispute Resolution (ODR): Development of comprehensive ODR platforms (e.g., “Mobile Micro Court” and “China Judgments Online”) facilitating remote litigation, mediation, and enforcement, significantly improving access to justice, particularly evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. Preliminary findings indicate significant efficiency gains, such as reduced case processing times (up to 30% in pilot courts) and increased transparency through public adjudication platforms. The widespread adoption of ODR (handling millions of disputes annually) demonstrates improved accessibility. However, challenges persist, including digital literacy gaps among rural populations, data security vulnerabilities, ethical complexities of AI decision-support, and concerns regarding algorithmic bias and the potential for digital authoritarianism. This study argues that China’s E-Justice model represents a unique, state-driven, large-scale experiment in digitizing an entire national judiciary. Its trajectory offers crucial insights for global discourse on balancing judicial efficiency, accessibility, innovation, and fundamental rights in the digital age.
Biography
Lin Jing is Associate Professor at China University of Political Science and Law, and Deputy Director of the Institute of Evidence Law and Forensic Science. She holds a Doctor of Law degree from the University of Freiburg, Germany, and completed her postdoctoral research at the Max Planck Institute for Foreign and International Criminal Law in Germany. Her research focuses on evidence law, e-justice, comparative criminal justice, juvenile justice, and human rights protection. She teaches courses such as “Methodology and Thesis Writing,” “Chinese Criminal Justice” (in English), and “Evidence Law” for doctoral students, international students, master’s students, and undergraduates. She has previously worked at the Max Planck Institute for Foreign and International Criminal Law in Germany and at K&L Gates LLP in Frankfurt, Germany. She is the sole author of Compliance and Money Laundering Control by Banking Institutions in China, published in 2016 by Duncker & Humblot, Germany, as part of the Max Planck Series on Criminal Law (Band K 173). She is also co-editor of A Dialogue Between Law and History (Springer, 2021) and chief translator of An Introduction to Evidence Science (Springer 2025, from Chinese to English). She has published numerous articles in Chinese, English, and German. She has been invited to deliver academic lectures at institutions including Leiden University, Roma Tre University, Waseda University, University of Cologne, University of Freiburg, etc.
