Courts settle disputes quickly online

People can solve online shopping disputes within half an hour, thanks to "online courtrooms" established in four courts in East China's Zhejiang province.

Customers who unknowingly purchase fake or low-quality goods online can sue, and then participate in court hearings from their homes, instead of going to court. The approach is "a new appealing style that saves litigants' time and reduces the burden on the legal system", said Li Yi, a judge specializing in intellectual property cases at Hangzhou Intermediate People's Court.

The online case hearings are part of a pilot program run by the court, and includes three grassroots courts in the province's Yuhang, Xihu and Binjiang districts. It started last year.