Surge in Subsequent Cases

Since China established its Guiding Cases System in November 2010, 77 GCs have been released by the Supreme People’s Court. This is quite a remarkable achievement in a country that has traditionally focused on statutes. But a real indicator of success lies in the total number of similar subsequent cases (“SCs”) that refer to GCs. Last year, the China Guiding Cases Project (“CGCP”) found 181 SCs. This year, the number has surged to 519, almost three times the number reported in 2016. What is the driver of this significant increase? What other trends are presented by these SCs? More importantly, what are the implications of these trends for legal education and legal practice?

Upcoming D.C. Seminar

To answer the above questions, Dr. Mei Gechlik, Founder and Director of the CGCP, will share her insights during the Guiding Cases Seminar^TM titled “Growing Significance of Cases in China: Implications for Legal Education and Legal Practice”, to be held on Wednesday, February 22, 2017, from 5:30 – 8 p.m., at the American University Washington College of Law (address: 4300 Nebraska Avenue, NW, Washington D.C., 20016).

To RSVP for this Guiding Cases Seminar^TM, click here.

SCHEDULE

5:30-6 p.m. – Registration and Reception

6-6:45 p.m. – Welcome and Keynote Speech  

Opening Remarks:

• Dean Lia EppersonSenior Associate Dean for Faculty and Academic Affairs, Professor of Law, Washington College of Law, American University

• Catherine SchenkerAssociate Director, International Legal Studies Program, Director, Legal English Program, Washington College of Law, American University

Moderator:

• Dr. Mei Gechlik
  Founder and Director, China Guiding Cases Project, Stanford Law School
  Latest Developments of China’s Guiding Cases System and a Summary of Judge Guo Feng’s Speech on the Compilation and Application of Guiding Cases

Keynote Speaker:

• The Honorable Sidney H. Stein
  Senior Judge, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
  A Response to Judge Guo Feng’s Speech on the Compilation and Application of Guiding Cases
  * See Commentary No. 18.

6:45-8 p.m. – Panel Discussion and Q&A for All Speakers

• Dr. Mei Gechlik (Moderator)

• DAI Di
  Ph.D. candidate, Peking University Law School; Former Attorney, Beijing Haijia Law Firm
  How Do Chinese Judges Apply Sources of Chinese Law?: An Analysis of Guiding Case No. 5 and Its Subsequent Cases* See Guiding Case No. 5, Commentary No. 13.

• Jennifer Ingram
  Fellow and Co-Managing Editor, China Guiding Cases Project, Stanford Law School
  China’s Belt and Road Initiative and Related Cases

• Professor Jeffrey S. Lubbers
  Professor of Practice in Administrative Law, Washington College of Law, American University
  The Usefulness of Guiding Cases, With a Focus on Guiding Case No. 21
  * See Guiding Case No. 21.

• Gwenann Manseau
  Senior Counsel, Office of the Chief Counsel for International Commerce, U.S. Department of Commerce
  The Role of Guiding Cases in Improving the Chinese Business Environment

The CGCP thanks our sponsors, including Alston & Bird LLP, American University Washington College of Law (“AUWCL”), Broad & Bright, the AUWCL Office of Global Opportunities, the Center for East Asian Studies of Stanford University, the Fu Tak Iam Foundation Limited, and the Washington Foreign Law Society, for their kind and generous support.  The CGCP strives to continue bringing you more insights about China’s GCs.  Please help us achieve this goal by making a gift to us today and become part of our historic mission to help China develop its case law system.  Thank you for your support!