China's top court opened its Intellectual Property Court in Beijing on January 1, as a new step to effectively safeguard IP rights. The new court, a subdivision of the Supreme People's Court, has been set up in the capital's Fengtai district. It is responsible for handling civil and administrative appeals related to patents, according to the top court. Litigants who disagree with rulings made by intermediate people's courts at the city or prefecture level, or by specialized IP courts, can appeal directly to the top court instead of first appealing to provincial high people's courts. The IP Court will also study difficult patent-related cases to help foster a favorable legal environment for technological innovation, and create a better business environment for domestic and international enterprises, he said. The new court, with 30 judges selected from IP tribunals in 10 provinces across the country, has courtrooms, a litigation service center, a technical investigation department, and a coordination office.

Source: China Daily