Summary Judgment/Procedure in China (Republish)

Having been working on summary judgment motions at work for three consecutive weeks, I kept thinking whetherChina has something similar to summary judgment in its civil trials. With limited knowledge on Chinese procedural laws, I disclaim that what I write here is really subject to future corrections from readers.

In the United States, summary judgments are available in federal and state courts. The purpose of summary judgments is to “eliminate patently unmeritorious claims and untenable defenses, not to deny a party its right to a full hearing on the merits of any real issue of fact.”Ramirez v. The Pecan Deluxe Candy Co., 839 S.W.2d 101, 105 (Tex. App.-Dallas 1992, writ denied). As to federal rules, the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Rule 56, governs. In the State of Texas, parties can file a conventional motion for summary judgment under Tex. R. Civ. P. 166a or a no-evidence motion for summary judgment under Tex. R. Civ. P. 166a(i).

In a traditional summary judgment motion, in order to prevail, the movant must present enough evidence to show that there are no issues of material fact, and that no reasonable jury would find for the non-movant. The key is that the movant must present evidence showing that the other party could not possibly win. On the other hand, in a no-evidence motion for summary judgment under 166 a(i), the movant does not need to submit summary judgment evidence; instead it only needs to raise specifically the issues for which the non-movant lacks supporting evidence, and argue that no reasonable jury would find for the non-movant.

In response to a traditional motion for summary judgment, the non-movant does not have the burden of proof. It only needs to present evidence contradicting the movant’s evidence, showing that issues of material fact exist.

Responding to a no-evidence motion for summary judgment, the non-movant, however, has the burden of proof; as such, it must present summary judgment evidence on each issue raised by the movant. If the non-movant in its response, presents more than a scintilla of evidence on the elements challenged by the movant, the court should deny the movant’s motion and the nonmovant is entitled to a trial on merits.

Summary judgment practice is a routine in many courts.As far as I know, it is very much alive in DallasCounty. Due to shifting political winds, the landscape of summary judgment changes with election results. Pro-plaintiff judges will probably not grant a summary judgment for anything; however, pro-defendant judges will do it more frequently. So, summary judgment is both technical and politically volatile (in Texas, at least).

After consulting a Chinese lawyer, here is what I got from an e-mail response on summary judgment, or the lack there of in China:

The concept in Chinese legal system most similar to summary judgment in the common law system is called “Summary Procedure” in Chinese civil procedural law. I attach the bilingual law for your information, as well as the excerpt below:

Chapter 13 Summary Procedure

Article 142 When adjudicating simple civil cases in which facts are clear, the relations of rights and obligations are definite, and disputes are minor, the basic people’s courts or their dispatched tribunals may apply the summary procedure stipulated in this Chapter.

Article 143 For simple civil cases, their plaintiffs may file their complaints orally.
Both parties may appear at the same time in a basic people’s court or its dispatched tribunal for a solution of their dispute. The basic people’s court or its dispatched tribunal may adjudicate the case immediately or set a date for the trial.

Article 144 When adjudicating a simple civil case, the basic people’s court or its dispatched tribunal may, at any time, use simplified methods to summon the parties and witnesses.

Article 145 A simple civil case shall be tried by one judge alone and the trial of such cases shall not be restricted by the provisions of Articles 123, 125, and 128 of this Law.

Article 146 The people’s court shall complete the adjudication of a case to which the summary procedure is applied within three months after the case is accepted.

Without real trial experience in China, I can only say that “summary Procedure” practice seems very different from summary judgment in the United States. Summary judgment, as a pre-trial practice, is a pretty evolved creature, with features like voluminous motions, persuasive affidavits, piles of records sometimes, and a hearing in a court room. I wonder how a summary procedure is played out in China.