Article 137 In the trial of a case appealed by a defendant, or his legal representative, defender or near relative, the people's court of second instance may not increase the criminal punishment on the defendant.
F( F0 U, Y+ a% g$ q, i The restriction laid down in the preceding paragraph shall not apply to cases protested by a people's procuratorate or cases appealed by private prosecutors.
a. H% h$ s* A Article 138 If a people's court of second instance discovers that a people's court of first instance has violated the litigation procedures stipulated by law, and the correct rendering of judgment may have thus been affected, it shall rescind the original judgment and remand the case to the people's court which originally tried the case for retrial." M( A- y3 C! l1 p) t
Article 139 The people's court which originally tried a case shall conduct a retrial of the case remanded to it in accordance with the procedure of first instance. The parties may appeal and the people's procuratorate at the same level may protest against the judgment rendered after the retrial.1 { E2 K% x" T/ U; Y' f2 l
Article 140 After a people's court of second instance has reviewed an appeal or protest against an order of first instance, it shall order rejection of the appeal or protest or quash or revise the original order respectively with reference to the provisions of Articles 136, 138 and 139 of this Law.( \' D& g6 h- T
Article 141 A people's court of second instance shall try cases of appeal or protest with reference to the procedure of first instance unless otherwise stipulated in this Chapter.
# W5 T- |' l) m. H Article 142 A people's court of second instance shall conclude the trial of a case of appeal or protest within one month or, one and a half months at the latest, after accepting it for trial.+ M4 h, H5 ]+ u S
Article 143 A11 judgments and orders of second instance and all judgments and orders of the Supreme People's Court shall be final.1 b( i P G* k0 ^ J; j
Chapter IV Procedure for Review of Death Sentences
$ @$ ~/ _ ]6 @) e' _: |: N Article 144 Death sentences shall be approved by the Supreme People's Court.: q$ l% ~: e: y8 w0 |; z' S
Article 145 A case of first instance where an intermediate people's court has imposed a death sentence and the defendant does not appeal shall be reviewed by a higher people's court and reported to the Supreme People's Court for approval. If the higher people's court does not agree with the death sentence, it may bring the case up for trial or remand the case for trial.1 @0 l& x) C& N( O, m) m
Cases of first instance where a higher people's court bas imposed a death sentence and the defendant does not appeal, and cases of second instance where a death sentence has been imposed shall all be submitted to the Supreme People's Court for approval.
5 f" {# V3 u1 _. G, d Article 146 A case where an intermediate people's court has imposed a death sentence with a two-year suspension of execution, shall be approved by a higher people's court.# g4 v @- B+ D9 I) U' A0 [
Article l47 Reviews by the Supreme People's Court of cases involving death sentences and reviews by a higher people's court of cases involving death sentences with a suspension of execution shall be conducted by collegial panels composed of three judges.3 M, {6 i: V2 [8 J+ F$ u* u! ^# z
Chapter V Procedure for Trial Supervision* `) ?; m" x( ~5 ~) e6 ~7 Z* B
Article 148 A party or a victim and his family or other citizens may present a petition to a people's court or people's procuratorate regarding a legally effective judgment or order, but the execution of the judgment or order cannot be suspended.
$ T( a0 v, _$ P% V! a, U- U Article 149 If the president of a people's court at any level finds some definite error in a legally effective judgment or order of his court as to the determination of facts or application of law, he shall refer the matter to the judicial committee for handling.: A! B; N, ?4 }7 q3 X, b
If the Supreme People's Court finds some definite error in a legally effective judgment or order of a people's court at any lower level, or if a people's court at a higher level finds some definite error in a legally effective judgment or order of a people's court at a lower level, it shall have the power to bring the case up for trial itself or may direct a people's court at a lower level to conduct a retrial. |