On April 22, 2026, the Supreme People’s Court released the Summary of Judgments by the Intellectual Property Court of the Supreme People’s Court (2025) (最高人民法院知识产权法庭裁判要旨摘要（2025）). This publication should not be confused with the Annual Report on Legal Application Issues in Intellectual Property Cases of Courts Nationwide (2025), which was also released by the Supreme People’s Court. The two documents serve distinct purposes: this Summary compiles judgment digests from cases concluded by the Intellectual Property Court (IPC) of the Supreme People’s …
Category: Case
China’s Supreme People’s Court Releases 2025 Annual Report on Legal Application Issues in Intellectual Property Cases
On April 21, 2026, China’s Supreme People’s Court (SPC) published its Annual Report on Legal Application Issues in Intellectual Property Cases of Courts Nationwide (2025) (全国法院知识产权案件法律适用问题年度报告（2025）摘要), identifying 45 legal application issues drawn from intellectual property cases concluded by courts at all levels during 2025. The issues are organized into nine categories: patent cases (covering both civil and administrative adjudication), trademark cases (civil and administrative), copyright cases, competition cases (anti-unfair competition and anti-monopoly), new plant variety cases, integrated circuit layout design …
China’s Supreme People’s Court Releases Sixth Batch of Typical Cases of Judicial Protection of Intellectual Property Rights in the Seed Industry
On March 26, 2026, China’s Supreme People’s Court (SPC) released the Sixth Batch of Typical Cases of Judicial Protection of Intellectual Property Rights in the Seed Industry (人民法院种业知识产权司法保护典型案例（第六批）). Typical cases are issued to guide lower courts, unify judgment standards, and promote policy goals. They serve as “soft law” to fill gaps in legislation, harmonize decisions nationwide, and align judicial outcomes with specific government policies.
Shanghai Huangpu District People’s Court: AI Prompts Not Copyrightable
In recent decision (2025) 沪0101 民初14775 号, the Shanghai Huangpu District People’s Court held that prompts fed into a generative AI were not subject to copyright protection. In 2022, the plaintiff created six sets of English-language prompts and input them into the Midjourney AI image generation platform using the account “BYShanC.” The prompts directed Midjourney to generate Art Nouveau-style illustrations of fantasy natural subjects — jellyfish, butterflies, gem trees, mushrooms, koi fish — in the style of Alphonse Mucha, rendered …