Article 20 stipulates that the Intermediate People’s Court has jurisdiction over the following first-instance criminal cases:
(1) Cases endangering national security and terrorist activities;
(2) Cases that may result in life imprisonment or death penalty.
Article 21 stipulates that first-instance criminal cases under the jurisdiction of the Higher People's Court refer to major criminal cases within the province (autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government).
Article 22 stipulates that first-instance criminal cases under the jurisdiction of the Supreme People's Court are major national criminal cases.
Article 23 stipulates that when necessary, the people's court at a higher level may try first-instance criminal cases under the jurisdiction of the people's court at the lower level; the lower people's court deems the case to be serious or complex and needs to be tried by the people's court at the higher level. A first-instance criminal case may be transferred to a higher-level people's court for trial.
Article 24 stipulates that criminal cases shall be under the jurisdiction of the people's court at the place where the crime was committed. If it is more appropriate for the case to be tried by the People's Court of the place where the defendant resides, the case may be under the jurisdiction of the People's Court of the place of residence of the defendant.
Article 25 stipulates that cases over which several people's courts at the same level have jurisdiction shall be tried by the people's court that initially accepted the case. If necessary, the case may be transferred to the people's court where the principal offender is located for trial.
Article 26 stipulates that the people's court at a higher level may designate a people's court at a lower level to try cases with unclear jurisdiction, or designate a people's court at a lower level to transfer the case to other people's courts for trial.
Article 27 stipulates that cases under the jurisdiction of specialized people's courts shall be separately stipulated.