The Supreme People's Court's Updated Statistics on IP Cases in 2008

According to the latest statistics of the Supreme People's Court, in 2008, the Chinese courts at all levels totally received 24,406 civil cases of first instance of IPRs and concluded 23,518 civil cases of first instance of IPRs, an increase of 36.52 % and 35.2% year-on-year respectively, concluded 3326 criminal cases of infringement of IPRs, received 1074 administrative cases of first instance of IPRs and concluded 1032 administrative cases of intellectual property.

In 2008, the number of the civil cases of intellectual property continues to keep the tendency of increase. The Chinese courts at all levels totally received 4074 patent cases, 6233 trademark cases, 10,951 copyright cases, an increase of 0.82%, 61.69% and 50.78% compared with the last year respectively, totally concluded 1139 civil cases of first instance relating to foreign right holders of IPRs, up 70.51% year-on-year, concluded 225 civil cases of first instance relating to the IPR's holders of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, down 30.34% compared with the last year. In 2008, the number of the civil cases of second instance of intellectual property received and concluded by the courts respectively are 4759 pieces and 4699 pieces, an increase of 66.11% and 63.73% compared with the last year respectively. The number of the received and concluded retrial cases respectively are 102 pieces and 71 pieces, an increase of 161.54% and 57.78% compared with the last year respectively. The rate of concluding the civil cases of first instance of IPR rises from 80.01% in 2007 to 81.73% in 2008.

By the end of 2008, there are 9 intermediate people's courts and 14 basic people's courts as experimental units in which one judicial tribunal can handles the various types of intellectual property cases. Now, there are 71 intermediate people's courts having the right of jurisdiction on patent cases and 66 basic people's courts which can handle general civil cases of intellectual property.