China's Supreme People's Court (SPC) will start a nationwide inspection over more than 10,000 subsidiaries to ensure that the public find it easier to settle a dispute in court, a senior judge said Thursday.

According to SPC Vice-President Huang Songyou, the inspection campaign is designed to guarantee that people's court has the independence to accept lawsuits lodged by the plaintiff directly as required by an SPC notice in September, this year.

Other issues such as the operation of circuit court and lawsuit cost settlement and refund will also be checked.

"Providing quality legal service to the public is as important as justice in a trial, " said Huang.

In the notice, SPC required more court sessions to be opened in remote rural areas to expand public access to a court, which will be examined in next year's inspection.

It will also check matters of personnel development and logistical supply of local courts in the planned inspection.

Higher people's courts at all levels are ordered to inspect lower courts in areas within their jurisdiction and report to SPC, which will send an inspection team to make spot check.

(Xinhua News Agency December 30, 2005)