The Supreme People's Court, the local People's Courts, the Military Tribunals and the other tribunals established by law are thejudicial organs of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Under special circumstances,the National Assembly may decide to set up a Special Tribunal. At the grassroots appropriate popular organizations shall be set up to deal with minor offenses and disputes among the people according to the provisions of the law.

The tenure of the President of the Supreme People's Court shall be the same as that of the National Assembly. The regime of the appointment, release from duty, dismissal,and the tenure of office of the judges;the system of election and the tenure of office of people's assessors in People's Courts at every level shall be determined by law. Trials before People's Courts with the participation of people's assessors and before Military Tribunals with the participation of military assessors shall be conducted in conformity with the provisions of the law. During a trial the assessors shall be on an footing with the judges. During a trial the judges and assessors are in- dependent and shall only obey the law. The People's Courts shall hold their hearings in public, except in cases determined by law.

The People's Courts shall try their cases collegially and their decisions shall be in conformity with the will of the majority.

The right of the defendant to be defended is guaranteed. The defendant can either conduct his own defense or ask someone else to do it. An organization of barristers shall be set up to help the defendant and other parties in a law case to defend their rights and legitimate interest and contribute to the safeguarding of socialist legality.

The People's Court shall guarantee that citizens of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam who are members of various nationalities can use their own respective languages and system, of writing in court.

The Supreme People's Court is the highest judicial organ of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. It supervises and directs the judicial work of local People's Court and Military Tribunals. It supervises and directs the judicial work of Special Tribunals and other tribunals, unless otherwise prescribed by the National Assembly at the establishment of such Tribunals. The president of the Supreme People's Court is responsible and makes his report to the National Assembly and, when the latter is not in session, to its Standing Committee and to the country's President. The President of the local People's Court is responsible to and makes his reports to the People's Council. The sentences and decisions of the People's Court which have acquired legal effect must be respected by State organs, economic bodies,social organizations,armed unit and all citizens. They must be seriously implemented by the individuals and organs concerned.

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