Hong Kong juror participates in online trial at Qianhai court

The Shenzhen Qianhai Cooperation Zone People’s Court recently heard three cases online on disputes over the defendants’ damage to the interests of the companies’ creditors. Lui Yu-kan, a Hong Kong juror in the Qianhai court, participated in the trials via the court-developed online trial platform.

Since Hong Kong still hasn’t resumed quarantine-free travel with the mainland, many Hong Kong jurors of the court were unable to attend trials. The opening of the online jury channel allowed Lui and his colleagues to attend the trials while in their homes in Hong Kong without any barriers.

Lui said the Qianhai court’s adoption of the online trial platform, and the online jury channel have enhanced the transparency and credibility of judicial work, and timely protected the legitimate rights and interests of litigants within and outside the jurisdiction of the court.

“Trying cases online is worth promoting. It not only saves the commuting time for all parties, but also improves the court’s work efficiency. It is also more meaningful and useful given the global impact of COVID-19. Qianhai’s innovative effort allows us to help the litigants resolve disputes without space restrictions. I am proud to be a member of the court,” Lui said.

Lui was among the second batch of Hong Kong jurors appointed by the Qianhai court in 2018, who has extensive experience in the fields of insurance and finance. In the near future, the court will arrange more of its Hong Kong jurors to participate in the trials and normalize this method for the court.