Jurisdiction and organization of Courts after merger

Effective July 01, 2025, the People’s Court (TAND) system officially operates under a new organizational model, based on the provisions of the amended Law on Organization of People’s Courts 2025 and implementing guidance documents, especially Resolution No. 01/2025/NQ-HDTP of the Judicial Council of the Supreme People’s Court.  

Responding to that requirement, the Court system is reorganized towards a provincial-level – regional-level model, replacing the previous provincial-level – district-level model. Along with this is the adjustment of trial jurisdiction, mechanisms for receiving and processing pending cases, to ensure the legitimate rights and interests of the involved parties, as well as the stability of the judicial order. 

The organizational structure and jurisdiction of the court levels after the change are as follows:  

1. Changes in structure and organization 

From July 01, 2025, the court system of Viet Nam includes: 

1. Supreme People’s Court 
2. Provincial-level People’s Courts (replacing the previous Provincial-level People’s Courts) 
3. Regional People’s Courts (equivalent to the post-reorganization District-level People’s Courts) 
4. Specialized Courts at the International Financial Center 
5. Central Military Court, Military Courts of military zones and equivalent, Regional Military Courts

Thus, compared to before July 01, 2025, the court system has been significantly restructured, changing the District-level People’s Court to the Regional People’s Court, abolishing the High People’s Court, and adding Specialized Courts at the International Financial Center.  

2. Changes in jurisdiction 

2.1 Regional People’s Court  

The Regional People’s Court is established based on the merger of the territories of multiple districts, towns, and provincial-level cities and completely replaces the previous District-level People’s Court. Effective July 01, 2025, the jurisdiction of the Regional People’s Court is expanded and specified as follows:  

(i) For criminal cases 

The Regional People’s Court has first-instance trial jurisdiction over criminal cases where the highest level of the penalty frame prescribed by the Criminal Code is up to 20 years in prison. Previously, the District-level People’s Court only had jurisdiction to settle at first-instance cases where the highest level of the penalty frame was up to 15 years in prison (very serious crimes). 

Cases with penalty frames of life imprisonment or death fall under the jurisdiction of the Provincial-level People’s Court.

(ii) For civil, marriage and family, business, commercial, and labor cases 

The Regional People’s Court has first-instance trial jurisdiction over all civil, marriage and family, business, commercial, and labor cases, including cases involving foreign elements (involved parties or assets abroad or requiring judicial entrustment).  

The review for setting aside arbitral awards remains under the jurisdiction of the Provincial-level People’s Court. 

(iii) For administrative cases 

The Regional People’s Court has jurisdiction to settle all administrative cases, regardless of the administrative decisions or administrative acts issued or performed by state administrative agencies, including provincial-level and ministerial-level administrative agencies. 

Previously, administrative decisions and administrative acts of chairpersons of District-level People’s Committees, provincial-level, and ministerial-level administrative agencies fell under the first-instance trial jurisdiction of the Provincial-level People’s Court. 

(iv) For requests to settle bankruptcy matters 

There will be 03 Regional People’s Courts nationwide handling bankruptcy requests, including: 

• Regional People’s Court 2 – Ha Noi, with territorial jurisdiction over 18 provinces and cities, including: Ha Noi city, Hai Phong city; and the provinces of: Bac Ninh, Cao Bang, Dien Bien, Ha Tinh, Hung Yen, Lai Chau, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Nghe An, Ninh Binh, Phu Tho, Quang Ninh, Son La, Thai Nguyen, Thanh Hoa, and Tuyen Quang. 

• Regional People’s Court 1 – Da Nang, with territorial jurisdiction over 07 provinces and cities, including: Da Nang city, Hue city; and the provinces of: Dak Lak, Gia Lai, Khanh Hoa, Quang Ngai, and Quang Tri. 

• Regional People’s Court 1 – Ho Chi Minh City, with territorial jurisdiction over 09 provinces and cities, including: Can Tho city, Ho Chi Minh City; and the provinces of: An Giang, Ca Mau, Dong Nai, Dong Thap, Lam Dong, Tay Ninh, and Vinh Long. 

2.2 Provincial-level People’s Court 

(i) Handling first-instance settlement for the following cases: 

– Criminal and administrative cases, civil matters, bankruptcy settlements, and other matters that the Provincial-level People’s Court accepted for handling before July 01, 2025, but have not yet been resolved; 

– Cases and matters where the first-instance judgments or decisions of the Provincial-level People’s Court were annulled for resettlement according to first-instance procedures; 

– First-instance trial of criminal cases: 

• not under the jurisdiction of the Regional Court (the highest level of the penalty frame prescribed by the Criminal Code is life imprisonment or death); 
• falling under the jurisdiction of the Regional Court but being complex in nature, related to multiple levels or sectors, or attracting special public attention; cases where the handling affects politics or foreign relations; cases where the offender is a key leading official from the provincial level or higher, a religious dignitary, or holds high prestige among ethnic minorities;

(ii) Jurisdiction for appellate settlement, review of cassation or reopening protests, review for setting aside arbitral awards, and settlement of complaints and petitions remains similar to the jurisdiction before July 01, 2025.

2.3 Supreme People’s Court 

From July 01, 2025, the Supreme People’s Court takes over all powers and duties of the former High People’s Court, establishing an additional Appellate Court to perform appellate trial duties. Specifically, the basic jurisdiction of the Supreme People’s Court is as follows: 

• Handling appellate settlement of cases tried at first-instance by the Provincial-level People’s Court (performed by the Appellate Court).  

• Reviewing under cassation or reopening procedures legally effective judgments and decisions of the Appellate Court of the Supreme People’s Court, the High People’s Court, and the Provincial-level People’s Court;

• Reviewing under cassation or reopening procedures legally effective judgments and decisions of the Provincial-level People’s Court that the High People’s Court had accepted for handling before July 01, 2025, but had not yet resolved; 

• Settling petitions, written requests, and protests for cassation or reopening procedures regarding legally effective judgments and decisions of the District-level People’s Court and the Regional People’s Court when deemed necessary. 

The above change has not only significantly streamlined the organizational apparatus of the Court sector but is also a synchronized step with the policy of reorganizing district-level and commune-level administrative units according to the resolutions of the National Assembly Standing Committee. The merger and dissolution of many administrative units pose a requirement to restructure the Court system to be consistent with the new administrative boundaries, while ensuring stability, inheritance, and continuity in the performance of the trial function. 

Date Written: 20/07/2025

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