Court of jurisdiction over patent disputes

The corresponding higher people's courts in all provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government are courts of second instance. (2) For patent administrative cases with the Patent Reexamination Board of the State Intellectual Property Office as the defendant, Beijing No.1 Intermediate People's Court is the court of first instance and Beijing Higher People's Court is the court of second instance; (3) In patent administrative cases with China National Intellectual Property Administration as the defendant, Beijing No.1 Intermediate People's Court is the court of first instance and Beijing Higher People's Court is the court of second instance; (4) A lawsuit brought for patent infringement shall be under the jurisdiction of the people's court in the place where the infringement occurred or where the defendant has his domicile. By the end of 2002 1, there were 48 courts with jurisdiction over patent disputes in China, including 27 intermediate courts where the people's governments of provinces and autonomous regions are located, 7 intermediate people's courts in 4 municipalities directly under the Central Government (2 in Beijing, 2 in Shanghai, 2 in Tianjin, only1in Chongqing) and 4 in Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Shantou and Xiamen.