Grounded in both English- and Chinese-language sources, The Judicial System of China is a systematic study of Chinese courts after Xi Jinping took power and thoroughly reformed its judiciary. It draws upon extensive empirical scholarship in both Chinese and English languages, complementing it with fresh research based on court statistics, public opinion polling, and interviews with judges, lawyers, and litigants. The book addresses a range of timely subjects, including how Chinese courts have come to their present shape, how decisions are made on civil, criminal, and administrative cases, and what explains the behaviour of the judges. It documents not only the institutional rules, but also the behavioral patterns of the judges and other players revolving around the courts. This book presents a governance model for understanding the operation of the Chinese court system. The courts have two overarching characteristics under this model: supporting the state's goals of policy