1.
Conducting trial of the following cases: first-hearing cases placed
with the SPC by laws and regulations and those the SPC deems within
its jurisdiction; appeals or protests against trial decisions or
verdicts of the higher people's courts and special people's courts;
appeals against court judgments lodged by the Supreme People's
Procuratorate according to trial supervision procedures.
2.
Giving approval to death sentence. The SPC may, when necessary,
delegate the right of approval for death sentences passed against
offenders involved in serious cases of killing people, raping
women, looting, destruction by using explosives and other cases
which severely endanger and harm public security and social
order.
3.
Supervising the trials by local people's courts and special
people's courts at different levels.
4.
On discovering mistakes in the rulings and verdicts of local
people's courts already being legally enforced, conducting
questioning or appointing a lower level court to conduct
re-hearing.
5.
Giving approvals to verdicts on crimes not specifically stipulated
in the criminal law.
6.
Offering explanations over the concrete application of laws during
the trial process.
(China.org.cn May 20, 2003)