- Conducting trials for the following cases: those the SPC deems under its jurisdiction; appeals of verdicts issued by higher people’s courts and special people’s courts; appeals against court judgments lodged by the Supreme People’s Procuratorate according to trial supervision procedures
- Issuing death sentences: The SPC may, when necessary, delegate the right of approval for death sentences passed against offenders involved in serious cases. Serious cases include murder, rape, looting, destruction by using explosives and other cases which severely endanger and harm public security and social order
- Trial supervision: Supervising trials conducted by local people’s courts and special people’s courts at different levels
- Rectifying judicial errors: following discovery of mistakes in the rulings and verdicts of local people’s courts that already being legally enforced, the SPC may conduct investigations and launch a retrial
- Issuing new case law: Approving verdicts on crimes not specifically stipulated in the criminal law.
- Issuing new judicial procedures: Offering explanations over the concrete application of laws during the trial process.
