Amendment to Law on Organization of People’s Courts: Innovation in the organizational structure of People’s Courts

The Law on Organization of People’s Courts 2024 has served as the fundamental legal framework for establishing the structure and operation of the People’s Court system. However, in order to meet the requirements of judicial reform in the current period, as well as the consolidation and reorganization of administrative units, the Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of the Law on Organization of People’s Courts (the “Amended Law”) will officially take effect on July 1, 2025. One of the most notable changes introduced by the Amended Law is the restructuring of the People’s Courts. In this article, TNTP analyzes the new provisions regarding the organizational structure of the People’s Courts and the mechanism for receiving and adjudicating civil cases from the date the Amended Law comes into force. 

1. Organizational structure of the People’s Courts from July 1, 2025

Pursuant to Clause 1, Article 4 of the Amending Law on organization of and jurisdiction to establish or dissolve People’s Courts, the organization of People’s Courts includes:

(i) Supreme People’s Court;

(ii) Provincial People’s Courts;

(iii) Regional People’s Courts;

(iv) Specialized Courts;

(v) Military Courts.

According to Clause 1, Article 4, compared with the Law on Organization of People’s Courts 2024, from July 1, 2025, the organizational structure will no longer include District-level People’s Courts (district, town, provincial-city courts and equivalent units). Instead, Regional People’s Courts will be established under Resolution No. 81/2025/UBTVQH15 of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly, which defines the territorial jurisdiction of these Courts.

2. Regarding the receipt of the task of settling civil cases of a number of Courts from 01/7/2025

2.1 Responsibilities transferred to Regional People’s Courts

Under Article 5 of Resolution No. 01/2025/NQ-HDTP on receiving responsibilities and exercising jurisdiction of Regional People’s Courts, Regional People’s Courts shall receive and adjudicate civil cases as follows:

• First-instance civil cases as prescribed in the Civil Procedure Code 2015, as amended and supplemented in 2025.

The territorial jurisdiction of Regional People’s Courts over civil, business, and commercial matters is determined under Resolution No. 81/2025/UBTVQH15.

• First-instance civil cases within the jurisdiction of Regional People’s Courts where statements of claim or petitions were submitted to Provincial People’s Courts before July 1, 2025 but had not yet been accepted.
• First-instance civil cases in which the judgments or decisions of former Regional Courts or District-level Courts were annulled for re-adjudication under first-instance procedures.

2.2 Receiving tasks of Provincial People’s Courts

Under Article 4 of Resolution No. 01/2025/NQ-HDTP on receiving responsibilities and exercising jurisdiction of Provincial People’s Courts, Provincial People’s Courts shall receive and adjudicate civil cases as follows:

• First-instance civil cases accepted by Provincial People’s Courts before July 1, 2025 but not yet resolved;
• First-instance civil cases in which the first-instance judgments or decisions of Provincial People’s Courts were annulled for re-adjudication under first-instance procedures;
• Appeals against judgments or decisions of former District-level Courts or Regional People’s Courts that have not yet taken legal effect;
• Appeals against appellate judgments or decisions of Provincial People’s Courts that were annulled for re-adjudication under appellate procedures;
• Cassation and retrial of legally effective judgments and decisions of District-level Courts and Regional People’s Courts;
• Cassation and retrial of legally effective judgments and decisions of District-level Courts that had been accepted by the High People’s Courts before July 1, 2025 but had not yet been resolved.

The restructuring of the People’s Court system under the Amended Law represents an important milestone in Vietnam’s judicial reform roadmap. In this context, involved parties, plaintiffs, and other participants in judicial proceedings should pay close attention to fully and properly exercising their rights and fulfilling their obligations in accordance with current law.

Best regards,