Litigation hotline gets 2,945 calls in first 2 weeks

Shanghai's litigation service hotline received 2,945 calls in the first two weeks since it was officially launched on January 2, a Shanghai Higher People's Court official said at a press conference Thursday.

The hotline, which can be reached by dialing 12368, was opened to give involved parties, their lawyers and the public a way to inquire about court proceedings, view the progress of on-going cases and submit suggestions and complaints about court services.

With the hotline, the city's court system aims to increase transparency and make court services more accessible and convenient for the public, said Zou Bihua, vice president of Shanghai Higher People's Court.

The hotline has also taken suggestions and complaints to improve the work of the judges and court staff, Zou said.

"We have received feedback from lawyers and the public," he said.

The city's courts are also building information and service platforms to inform involved parties, their lawyers and the public about the filing statuses, verdicts, enforcement updates, and the monitoring the court work, Zou said.

"These litigation service platforms employ the latest information technology so that lawyers can file a case online, review legal documents and learn about the trial schedule without going to court in person, which will save them a lot of time and energy," Zou said.

To help ensure transparency, local courts broadcast 674 live trials online in 2013, up 25 percent from the previous year.

Videos of the trials have been viewed more than 27 million times, up 28 percent from the 2012 figures, according to the court.