最高人民法院关于依法妥善审理涉新冠肺炎疫情民事案件若干问题的指导意见（一）
一、充分发挥司法服务保障作用。各级人民法院要充分认识此次疫情对经济社会产生的重大影响，立足统筹推进疫情防控和经济社会发展工作大局，充分发挥司法调节社会关系的作用，积极参与诉源治理，坚持把非诉讼纠纷解决机制挺在前面，坚持调解优先，积极引导当事人协商和解、共担风险、共渡难关，切实把矛盾解决在萌芽状态、化解在基层。在涉疫情民事案件审理过程中，根据案件实际情况，准确适用法律，平衡各方利益，保护当事人合法权益，服务经济社会发展，实现法律效果与社会效果的统一。
二、依法准确适用不可抗力规则。人民法院审理涉疫情民事案件，要准确适用不可抗力的具体规定，严格把握适用条件。对于受疫情或者疫情防控措施直接影响而产生的民事纠纷，符合不可抗力法定要件的，适用《中华人民共和国民法总则》第一百八十条、《中华人民共和国合同法》第一百一十七条和第一百一十八条等规定妥善处理；其他法律、行政法规另有规定的，依照其规定。当事人主张适用不可抗力部分或者全部免责的，应当就不可抗力直接导致民事义务部分或者全部不能履行的事实承担举证责任。
三、依法妥善审理合同纠纷案件。受疫情或者疫情防控措施直接影响而产生的合同纠纷案件，除当事人另有约定外，在适用法律时，应当综合考量疫情对不同地区、不同行业、不同案件的影响，准确把握疫情或者疫情防控措施与合同不能履行之间的因果关系和原因力大小，按照以下规则处理：
（一）疫情或者疫情防控措施直接导致合同不能履行的，依法适用不可抗力的规定，根据疫情或者疫情防控措施的影响程度部分或者全部免除责任。当事人对于合同不能履行或者损失扩大有可归责事由的，应当依法承担相应责任。因疫情或者疫情防控措施不能履行合同义务，当事人主张其尽到及时通知义务的，应当承担相应举证责任。
（二）疫情或者疫情防控措施仅导致合同履行困难的，当事人可以重新协商；能够继续履行的，人民法院应当切实加强调解工作，积极引导当事人继续履行。当事人以合同履行困难为由请求解除合同的，人民法院不予支持。继续履行合同对于一方当事人明显不公平，其请求变更合同履行期限、履行方式、价款数额等的，人民法院应当结合案件实际情况决定是否予以支持。合同依法变更后，当事人仍然主张部分或者全部免除责任的，人民法院不予支持。因疫情或者疫情防控措施导致合同目的不能实现，当事人请求解除合同的，人民法院应予支持。
（三）当事人存在因疫情或者疫情防控措施得到政府部门补贴资助、税费减免或者他人资助、债务减免等情形的，人民法院可以作为认定合同能否继续履行等案件事实的参考因素。
四、依法处理劳动争议案件。加强与政府及有关部门的协调，支持用人单位在疫情防控期间依法依规采用灵活工作方式。审理涉疫情劳动争议案件时，要准确适用《中华人民共和国劳动法》第二十六条、《中华人民共和国劳动合同法》第四十条等规定。用人单位仅以劳动者是新冠肺炎确诊患者、疑似新冠肺炎患者、无症状感染者、被依法隔离人员或者劳动者来自疫情相对严重的地区为由主张解除劳动关系的，人民法院不予支持。就相关劳动争议案件的处理，应当正确理解和参照适用国务院有关行政主管部门以及省级人民政府等制定的在疫情防控期间妥善处理劳动关系的政策文件。
五、依法适用惩罚性赔偿。经营者在经营口罩、护目镜、防护服、消毒液等防疫物品以及食品、药品时，存在《中华人民共和国消费者权益保护法》第五十五条、《中华人民共和国食品安全法》第一百四十八条第二款、《中华人民共和国药品管理法》第一百四十四条第三款、《最高人民法院关于审理食品药品纠纷案件适用法律若干问题的规定》第十五条规定情形，消费者主张依法适用惩罚性赔偿的，人民法院应予支持。
六、依法中止诉讼时效。在诉讼时效期间的最后六个月内，因疫情或者疫情防控措施不能行使请求权，权利人依据《中华人民共和国民法总则》第一百九十四条第一款第一项规定主张诉讼时效中止的，人民法院应予支持。
七、依法顺延诉讼期间。因疫情或者疫情防控措施耽误法律规定或者人民法院指定的诉讼期限，当事人根据《中华人民共和国民事诉讼法》第八十三条规定申请顺延期限的，人民法院应当根据疫情形势以及当事人提供的证据情况综合考虑是否准许，依法保护当事人诉讼权利。当事人系新冠肺炎确诊患者、疑似新冠肺炎患者、无症状感染者以及相关密切接触者，在被依法隔离期间诉讼期限届满，根据该条规定申请顺延期限的，人民法院应予准许。
八、加大司法救助力度。对于受疫情影响经济上确有困难的当事人申请免交、减交或者缓交诉讼费用的，人民法院应当依法审查并及时作出相应决定。对于确实需要进行司法救助的诉讼参加人，要依据其申请，及时采取救助措施。
九、灵活采取保全措施。对于受疫情影响陷入困境的企业特别是中小微企业、个体工商户，可以采取灵活的诉讼财产保全措施或者财产保全担保方式，切实减轻企业负担，助力企业复工复产。
十、切实保障法律适用统一。各级人民法院要加强涉疫情民事案件审判工作的指导和监督，充分发挥专业法官会议、审判委员会的作用，涉及重大、疑难、复杂案件的法律适用问题，应当及时提交审判委员会讨论决定。上级人民法院应当通过发布典型案例等方式加强对下级人民法院的指导，确保裁判标准统一。
Guiding Opinions of the Supreme People's Court on Several Issues Concerning Properly Handling of Civil Cases Involving COVID 19 Epidemic In accordance with the Law (I)
In order to implement the spirit of the CCP Central Committee's meeting on the overall promotion of prevention and control of COVID 19 epidemic and economic and social development, to properly handle civil cases involving COVID 19 epidemic in accordance with the law, to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the people , and to maintain social and economic order as well as social fairness and justice, taking into account trial practice experience, the SPC has put forward the following guiding opinions in accordance with the relevant provisions of laws and judicial interpretations.
First. Giving full play to the role of judicial safeguard
The people's courts at all levels should be fully aware of the major impact of the epidemic on the economy and society, Based on the overall situation of promoting epidemic prevention and control and economic and social development, give full play to the role of justice in regulating social relations, actively participate in the governance of litigation sources, adhere to the alternative dispute resolution mechanism in the front, adhere to the priority of mediation, actively guide the parties to negotiate and settle disputes, share risks and tide over difficulties, and effectively resolve disputes in the bud and at the grassroots level. In hearing civil cases involving epidemic situations, the people’ courts shall accurately apply the law according to the actual situation of the cases,balancing the interests of all parties, protecting the legitimate rights and interests of the parties, serving the economic and social development and fulfilling the unification of legal effect and social effect.
Second. Accurate application of force majeure rules in accordance with the law
When hearing civil cases involving COVID 19 epidemic situations, the people's courts should accurately apply the specific provisions of force majeure and apply them in strict manner. For civil disputes directly affected by the epidemic situation or epidemic prevention and control measures that meet the legal requirements of force majeure, Article 180 of the General Provisions of the Civil Law of PRC and Articles 117 and 118 of the Contract Law of PRC shall be applied. Where it has been otherwise provided under other laws and administrative regulations , such other provisions shall prevail. If a party wishes to partly or wholly exempt its liability based on force majeure, it shall bear the burden of proof to prove that the failure to perform its duties was partly or wholly due to force majeure.
Three. Proper handing of contract disputes in accordance with the law
Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, in cases of contract disputes directly affected by the epidemic situation or epidemic prevention and control measures, when applying the law , the impact of the epidemic situation on different regions, different industries and different cases shall be comprehensively considered, the causal relationship and cause force between the epidemic situation or epidemic prevention and control measures and the failure to perform the contract shall be accurately determined , and the following rules shall be followed:
(a) if the epidemic situation or epidemic prevention and control measures directly lead to the failure to perform contract, the provisions of force majeure shall be applied in accordance with the law to partially or wholly exempt the liabilities to the extent affected the epidemic situation or epidemic prevention and control measures. If the parties have attributable reasons for the failure to perform the contract or the exaggeration of losses, they shall bear responsibilities according to law. If a party can not perform its contractual obligations due to the epidemic situation or epidemic prevention and control measures and claims that it has fulfilled its duty of timely notification, he/ she shall bear the corresponding burden of proof.
(b) if the epidemic situation or epidemic prevention and control measures only lead to difficulties in the performance of the contract, the parties may renegotiate; If the contract is capable of being continued, the people's court shall earnestly strengthen the mediation and actively guide the parties to continue to perform the contract. If a party requests to terminate the contract on the grounds of difficulties in performing the contract, the people's court will not support it. If continuing to perform the contract is obviously unfair to one party, and if the party requests to alter the contract performance period, performance method, price amount, etc., the people's court shall decide whether to support it according to the actual situation of the case. If after the contract is altered according to law, the parties still claim partial or complete exemption from liability, the people's court will not support such claim. The people's court shall support the request of the parties to terminate the contract if the purpose of the contract cannot be realized due to the epidemic situation or epidemic prevention and control measures.
(c) If the parties concerned have received subsidies from government departments, tax relief or subsidies from others, debt relief, etc. due to the epidemic situation or epidemic prevention and control measures, the people's court may take it as a reference factor for determining whether the contract can be continued.
Four. Dealing with labor dispute cases according to law
The people’s court should strengthen coordination with the government and relevant departments to support employers to adopt flexible working methods in accordance with laws and regulations during the epidemic prevention and control period. When hearing labor dispute cases involving epidemic situations, the provisions of Article 26 of the Labor Law of the PRC and Article 40 of the Labor Contract Law of PRC shall be accurately applied. The people's court will not support the employer's claim to terminate the labor relationship only on the grounds that the worker is a confirmed COVID 19 patient, a suspected COVID 19 patient, an asymptomatic infected person, a legally quarantined person or the employee comes from a relatively serious epidemic region. Regarding the handling of relevant labor dispute cases, the people’s court should correctly understand and give reference to the policy documents formulated by the relevant administrative departments of the State Council and the provincial people's governments on proper handling of labor relations during the epidemic prevention and control period.
Five.Application of punitive damages according to law
For businesses dealing in masks, goggles, protective clothing, disinfectant and other epidemic prevention items , as well as food and medicines, if a situation occurs which falls within either of Article 55 of Consumer Rights Protection Law of PRC,Article 148 (2) of the Food Safety Law of PRC, Article 144(3) of the Drug Administration Law of PRC or, Article 15 of the Provisions of SPC on Several Issues Concerning the Application of Laws in Hearing Food and Drug Disputes,and the consumer invokes the application of punitive damages, the people's court shall support such claims.
Six. Suspension of the limitation period according to law
In cases where an obligee can not exercise his or her right of claim during the last six months of the limitation period due to the epidemic situation or epidemic prevention and control measures, and the obligee invokes Article 194 (1)(a)of the General Provisions of the Civil Law of PRC for a suspension, the people’s court shall allow such suspension.
Seven. Postponement of the litigation period according to law
In cases where the time limit for litigation prescribed by law or designated by the people's court has expired due to the epidemic situation or epidemic prevention and control measures and a party applies for an extension of the time limit in accordance with Article 83 of the Civil Procedure Law of PRC, the people's court shall take comprehensive consideration of the epidemic situation and the evidence provided by the relevant party before determining whether to grant permission or not to protect the party's procedural rights in accordance with the law. If the relevant party is a confirmed COVID 19 patient, a suspected COVID 19 patient, an asymptomatic infected person and a related close contact, and the litigation period expires during the period of prescribed quarantine, and an application for extension under the provisions of this Article has been make, the people's court shall grant an extension of the period.
Eight. Strengthening of judicial assistance
If a party affected by the epidemic has real financial difficulties and applies for exemption, reduction or postponement of litigation costs, the people's court shall examine the application according to law and make decisions in a timely manner. For the court participants in actual need of judicial assistance, timely assistance measures shall be taken on applications.
Nine. Flexible approach to preservation measures
For enterprises affected by the epidemic and in trouble, especially small and medium-sized micro-enterprises and individual industrial and commercial households, the people's courts may take a flexible approach to litigation property preservation measures or property preservation guarantee methods to effectively reduce the burden on enterprises and help enterprises resume work and production.
Ten. Unity of the application of the law
The people's courts at all levels should strengthen the guidance and supervision of the trial of civil cases involving epidemic situations, give full play to the role of professional judges' meetings and judicial committees, and promptly submit legal application issues involving major, difficult and complicated cases to the judicial committees for discussion and decision. The people's courts at higher levels shall strengthen the guidance to the people's courts at lower levels by issuing typical cases and other means to ensure the unification of judgment standards.
（来源：万邦法律）