Government and Policy

Courts to receive help enforcing judgments

By Wang Jingqiong (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-07-21 07:41

BEIJING - People who fail or refuse to comply with court decisions may find their way out of China blocked or their bank account frozen, as more governmental departments will cooperate with courts to help enforce the judgments, according to an announcement from the top on Tuesday.

The initiative made clear the responsibilities of the top court and 19 other central government organizations.

Court decisions sometimes are not carried out in a timely manner, thus causing public complaints, said Sun Jungong, spokesman of the Supreme People's Court (SPC).

Until now, more than seven million cases nationwide have not been enforced completely, and the number is still climbing, according to the top court.

Relevant departments should actively assist courts in implementing judicial decisions. Individuals who hinder or intervene with the enforcement of court decisions will be subject to investigation, Sun said.

"For example, regarding bad debtors, we can ask the bank for his account information, transfer his money, and ask the police to stop him from going abroad," said Yu Lingyu, director of SPC's enforcement bureau.

When relevant governmental departments receive a written request from the courts, they are obliged to take action to help the courts, yet the former do not have the right to doubt or check the judgments.

Supervision departments nationwide should supervise the process and prevent officials from interfering with enforcement, according to the new system.

Public security departments should send police immediately to help courts if the latter comes across any violence or threats in the enforcement. They should also provide the courts with information about the person in question, including his or her registered residence, whereabouts and property.

The housing regulator should stop transferring property for the person in question after they receive an announcement from the courts.

Banks and financial regulatory departments should provide the account information of the enforced to the courts. They can choose to freeze or transfer money from their accounts, and they can also refuse to open new accounts or give loans to the enforced as punishment.

The new system is to create "full-range pressure" for those who are responsible, and thus force them to comply with judgments, Yu said.