On June 9, a newly issued guideline by China's Supreme People's Court aims to further regulate the technical investigation processes for judges handling civil and administrative cases related to new plant varieties. As the first document specifically guiding technical investigations and fact-finding in plant variety adjudication, the guideline is significant for enhancing the legal protection of intellectual property rights in the seed industry, according to the top court.

The guideline outlines the process of technical investigation and fact-finding to provide judges with a systematic, operable, and unified solution for adjudication. For example, it clarifies how courts can entrust professional institutions with appraisals, the circumstances under which litigants can invite specialists to testify in court, and the responsibilities of technical investigators.

                                                                                                                                                       Source. China Daily