The Supreme People's Court of Vietnam: Benchbook Online

Introduction

This Benchbook will be published in three forms. One is a paper looseleaf Benchbook (in a hardcover folder), the second is an electronic Benchbook on a CD-ROM and the third is an electronic Benchbook on the Internet. The paper looseleaf Benchbook supplied by the Supreme People's Court is for use by judges and others who do not have access to computers and also judges and others who wish to have access to a paper looseleaf version for day-to-day use rather than accessing the Benchbook in an electronic form. The CD-ROM Benchbook can be used by judges and others who have access to a computer but not ready access to the Internet. The Internet Benchbook can be used by judges and others who have access to the Internet. The Internet Benchbook can be printed (in whole or in part) by readers who want a paper looseleaf version but are not provided with a paper looseleaf version by the Supreme People's Court. 

You, as a reader of the Benchbook, can contribute to its improvement by forwarding either by e-mail or post to the Supreme People's Court your comments about the existing contents of the Benchbook, suggestions about what other topics should be included and suggestions about practical tips and guidance to be included. Periodically, comments made by readers will be reviewed as part of the updating process. Your comments will be welcomed and valued. Comments should be sent to:

Email: gopy@sotaythamphan.gov.vn or

Vietnam Benchbook project
International Cooperation Department
Institute for Judicial Sciences - Supreme People’s Court
No.48 Ly Thuong Kiet - Hoan Kiem - Ha Noi.

Tel.: (084)4 8264307

In the Internet version, you can send an e-mail by clicking on the feedback button in the toolbar.  If you do this, you will be taken to a blank e-mail which can be written on (or you can create a Word document and send it as an attachment) and when you click on "send" the e-mail will be forwarded to the Supreme People's Court.

Using the Benchbook

The Benchbook contains sections dealing with the various general types of cases Vietnamese judges may have to deal with and also specific case types.  A similar format has been adopted in the Benchbook which identifies a number of tasks a judge might undertake, a description of the applicable laws (including codes, ordinances, decrees, guidelines, determinations and rulings) and practical guidance.  With the CD-ROM version and the Internet version, you can click (with the computer mouse) on the reference to the applicable law (if it is in blue) and you will be taken to the text of the law to provide easy reference.  More detailed tips about using the electronic version can be found by clicking on the "Help" button in the toolbar.

Methods of updating

The Benchbook is a living document and it will change over time.  The paper and Internet version of the Benchbook will be updated as laws change or when it appears that parts of the text need modifying or improving.

(1)  Paper looseleaf Benchbook

Judges and others who have been provided with a paper looseleaf Benchbook by the Supreme People's Court will be sent, from time to time, updated pages which can be inserted into the folder and the old pages can be removed.  Specific instructions will be provided with each update about removing and inserting pages.  Initially the method of distribution of the updated pages will be through the Provincial or City Courts which will be sent updated pages by e-mail.  The updated pages can be printed out, copied and distributed within the Provincial or City Court and also distributed to the District Courts in the Province or City.  At the end of the paper looseleaf Benchbook there is a section which records the "Change history" which will be updated as other pages are updated.  The pages in each update will have a notation at the foot of the page, stating the date on which the update was published.  You can look at this information to determine when the information on any particular page was last updated.

(2)  Electronic CD ROM Benchbook

If it becomes necessary, updated versions of the CD-ROM Benchbook will be created and distributed.

(3)  Electronic Internet Benchbook

The electronic Internet Benchbook will be updated periodically by the SPC.  You can determine when a section was last updated, by looking at the notation "Last update date" on the bottom right-hand corner in each section and also by referring to the "Change history" page of the Benchbook.  The "Change history" records when each section has been updated.  You can access the "Change history" by clicking on the "Change history" button in the toolbar.
 
Change History - List of Updates to the Benchbook

A list of the most recent changes to the Benchbook will be shown in the Internet version of the Benchbook (www.sotaythamphan.gov.vn under the “Change History” tab) and will show:

(i)  chronologically what changes have been made to sections of the Benchbook starting with the most recent, and

(ii)  a section by section list of when a particular section of the Benchbook has been updated.

The first version of the Benchbook was completed in June 2006.