China's trial system follows a two-hearing system in the trial
process. The entire system of people's courts constitutes a
four-level, two-hearing process. When litigants are not satisfied
with the verdict made by any of the local people's courts at
various levels after the court has gone through a first-hearing
trial of the case within its jurisdiction, they may appeal to a
court of the immediate higher level within the time limit
prescribed by law. The court at the next higher level reviews the
appeal and passes its judgment which constitutes the verdict of the
second hearing. According to the trial system, the verdict of the
second hearing is the final decision against which the litigant
shall not appeal. The SPC is China's highest trial organ and all of
its decisions on the first- and second-hearing cases are final and
shall be enforced once they are promulgated.
(China.org.cn May 20, 2003)