Legal Update: Reorganization/Merger of the People’s Court system at all levels

A. Introduction

On March 20, 2025, the Central Steering Committee for the Organizational Restructuring of the Political System issued Official Letter No. 43-CV/BCĐ, requesting the completion of the reorganization of the local People’s Courts and People’s Procuracies before June 30, 2025. In line with this directive, the Supreme People’s Court is currently drafting a Resolution on the establishment, dissolution, and determination of territorial jurisdiction of People’s Courts.

Under this Draft, the Supreme People’s Court proposes the establishment of 355 new Regional People’s Courts, replacing the current district-level People’s Courts in 34 centrally governed provinces and cities, with an expected effective date of July 1, 2025.

B. Objectives of the reorganization

The restructuring of the People’s Court system aims to streamline the organizational structure, enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of judicial activities, and align with the adjustment of administrative boundaries at district and commune levels in accordance with the overall policy of the Party and the State. The new Regional People’s Court model is expected to replace the current district-level court system, wherein each regional court may handle first-instance trials for multiple neighboring administrative units within the same geographical area.

C. Replacement of district-level Courts with regional People’s Courts

According to the second draft of the Resolution by the Supreme People’s Court, from July 1, 2025, all existing district-level People’s Courts nationwide will be dissolved and replaced by 355 Regional People’s Courts. Specifically:

• Each current district-level People’s Court will lose its legal status and transfer all case files, seals, facilities, assets, personnel, duties, and authority to the corresponding Regional People’s Court.

• Each Regional People’s Court will assume responsibility for conducting first-instance trials for two to four geographically adjacent district-level administrative units, ensuring reasonable territorial jurisdiction, consistent with the new administrative planning and national judicial reform goals.

In essence, the current district-level court system will be abolished and replaced by a larger-scale, more centralized regional court system. The same judicial functions will be carried out by the regional courts, which will be strategically located to ensure proximity to the public and operational efficiency.

In Ho Chi Minh City, according to Appendix 2 of the second draft of the Resolution, it is expected that 19 Regional People’s Courts will be established, replacing the current 22 district-level People’s Courts (after the administrative unit merger is completed).

D. Practical challenges and legal considerations

Although the reorganization of the People’s Court system is both necessary and aligned with judicial reform objectives, its implementation may pose several challenges in practice.

First, restructuring the organizational apparatus and reallocating personnel in the newly established regional courts will take time to stabilize, potentially causing temporary disruption to trial activities during the transition period. Second, geographical barriers remain a major concern, as citizens in remote or peripheral areas may face difficulty accessing courts to participate in proceedings or complete procedural tasks.

In addition, existing infrastructure and facilities at some court locations may not be sufficient to handle the increased workload after consolidation. Finally, the transition between the current and new court units will require comprehensive and timely legal guidance to ensure that ongoing cases are not delayed or rights of the involved parties compromised.

From a practical standpoint, businesses, legal practitioners, and related individuals are advised to actively review and update themselves on the official information regarding the territorial jurisdiction of the new Regional People’s Courts, in order to correctly identify the competent authority for dispute resolution, complaints, denunciations, and filing lawsuits in the right jurisdiction and time. Attention should also be paid to transitional provisions in the implementing regulations, especially those concerning the jurisdiction over cases that are in the process of adjudication or enforcement at the time the Resolution takes effect.

Please feel free to reach us via email contact@altas.vn to discuss your specific concerns and explore how we can partner with you to navigate these reforms successfully.

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Written by: Mr. Luong Van Chuong (Chris) – Partner Lawyer at ALTAS Law & Senior Legal Assistant Pham Uyen Thy - ALTAS Law 

Date: 12.06.2025