Interpretation of the Supreme People's Court on Certain Issues concerning Determination of Liability for Compensation for Spiritual Damage Arising from Civil Torts

最高人民法院关于确定民事侵权精神损害赔偿责任若干问题的解释

Promulgating Institution: Supreme People's Court

Document Number: Fa Shi [2001] No. 7

Promulgating Date: 03/08/2001

Effective Date: 03/10/2001

颁布机关: 最高人民法院

文    号: 法释[2001]7号

颁布时间: 03/08/2001

实施时间: 03/10/2001

Text

正文

(Fa Shi [2001] No. 7 adopted at the 1161st Session of the Trial Committee of the Supreme People's Court on February 26, 2001 became effective on March 10, 2001.)

(法释〔2001〕7号 2001年2月26日最高人民法院审判委员会第1161次会议通过 自2001年3月10日起施行)

For the purpose of correctly determining compensation liability for mental distress in the course of the trial of cases involving civil torts, we hereby make the following interpretations of the relevant issues in accordance with the provisions of the General Principles of the Civil Law and other laws and in consideration the civil trial practices and experiences:

    为在审理民事侵权案件中正确确定精神损害赔偿责任，根据《中华人民共和国民法通则》等有关法律规定，结合审判实践经验，对有关问题作如下解释：

   Article 1   Where a natural person files an action with a people's court claiming compensation for mental distress due to illegal infringement of any of the following rights of personality, the people's court shall accept the action in accordance with the law:

(1) right of life, right of health, or right of body;

(2) rights to the name of a person, right to image, rights to reputation, or right of honor; or

(3) right of personal dignity or right of personal freedom.

When there is violation of social public interests or social morality causing infringement of a person's privacy or any other interest in personality, and the victim files a tort action with a people's court claiming compensation for mental distress, the people's court shall accept the case in accordance with the law.

     第一条 自然人因下列人格权利遭受非法侵害，向人民法院起诉请求赔偿精神损害的，人民法院应当依法予以受理：

    (一)生命权、健康权、身体权；

    (二)姓名权、肖像权、名誉权、荣誉权；

    (三)人格尊严权、人身自由权。

    违反社会公共利益、社会公德侵害他人隐私或者其他人格利益，受害人以侵权为由向人民法院起诉请求赔偿精神损害的，人民法院应当依法予以受理。

   Article 2   When a ward is separated from guardianship due to any illegal means causing gross damage to the parental relationship and the guardian files an action with a people's court claiming compensation for mental distress, the people's court shall accept the action in accordance with the law.

     第二条 非法使被监护人脱离监护，导致亲子关系或者近亲属间的亲属关系遭受严重损害，监护人向人民法院起诉请求赔偿精神损害的，人民法院应当依法予以受理。

   Article 3   When a close relative of a deceased natural person files an action with a people's court claiming compensation for mental distress due to any of the following acts of infringement, the people's court shall accept the action in accordance with the law:

(1) infringement of the name, image, reputation, or honor of the deceased by insulting, libeling, disparaging, vilifying, or by any other means contrary to the social public interests or social morality;

(2) infringement of the privacy of the deceased person by illegal disclosure or use of the privacy of the deceased person or any other means contrary to the social public interests or social morality; and

(3) infringement of the remains of the deceased person by illegal use of or damage to the remains of the deceased person or any other means contrary to the social public interests or social morality.

     第三条 自然人死亡后，其近亲属因下列侵权行为遭受精神痛苦，向人民法院起诉请求赔偿精神损害的，人民法院应当依法予以受理：

    (一)以侮辱、诽谤、贬损、丑化或者违反社会公共利益、社会公德的其他方式，侵害死者姓名、肖像、名誉、荣誉；

    (二)非法披露、利用死者隐私，或者以违反社会公共利益、社会公德的其他方式侵害死者隐私；

    (三)非法利用、损害遗体、遗骨，或者以违反社会公共利益、社会公德的其他方式侵害遗体、遗骨。

   Article 4   Where a special memento with sentimental value is damaged or lost permanently due to an act of tort, and the owner of the memento files a tort action with a people's court claiming compensation for mental distress due to the act of tort, the people's court shall accept the action in accordance with the law.

     第四条 具有人格象征意义的特定纪念物品，因侵权行为而永久性灭失或者毁损，物品所有人以侵权为由，向人民法院起诉请求赔偿精神损害的，人民法院应当依法予以受理。

   Article 5   Where a legal person or any other organization files an action with a people's court claiming compensation for mental distress due to infringement of its right of personality, the people's court shall not accept the action.

     第五条 法人或者其他组织以人格权利遭受侵害为由，向人民法院起诉请求赔偿精神损害的，人民法院不予受理。

   Article 6   Where a party fails to present a claim for compensation for mental distress in a tort action, and, after the conclusion of the tort action, files a separate action claiming compensation for mental distress based on the same facts relating to the tort, the people's court shall refuse to accept the action.

     第六条 当事人在侵权诉讼中没有提出赔偿精神损害的诉讼请求，诉讼终结后又基于同一侵权事实另行起诉请求赔偿精神损害的，人民法院不予受理。

   Article 7   In the event of a natural person's death due to an act of tort, or an infringement of a natural person's personality or body after his or her death, the deceased's spouse, parent, or child files an action claiming compensation for mental distress, the deceased's spouse, parent, and/or child shall be listed as the plaintiff(s); in the absence of such spouse, parent, or child, his or her other close relatives may file an action, and shall be listed as the plaintiffs.

     第七条 自然人因侵权行为致死，或者自然人死亡后其人格或者遗体遭受侵害，死者的配偶、父母和子女向人民法院起诉请求赔偿精神损害的，列其配偶、父母和子女为原告；没有配偶、父母和子女的，可以由其他近亲属提起诉讼，列其他近亲属为原告。

   Article 8   When infringement causes mental distress to another person without any serious consequence, a people's court shall generally not uphold the claim filed by the victim for compensation for mental distress. In such a case, the people's court may, according to the circumstances, order the infringer to cease infringement, rehabilitate reputation, eliminate impact, and/or offer an apology.

When infringement causes mental distress to another person with serious consequences, a people's court may, in addition to ordering the infringer to bear civil liability of cessation of infringement, rehabilitation of reputation, elimination of impact, and/or offer an apology, etc, also order the infringer to make appropriate compensation for mental distress based on the claim of the victim.

     第八条 因侵权致人精神损害，但未造成严重后果，受害人请求赔偿精神损害的，一般不予支持，人民法院可以根据情形判令侵权人停止侵害、恢复名誉、消除影响、赔礼道歉。

    因侵权致人精神损害，造成严重后果的，人民法院除判令侵权人承担停止侵害、恢复名誉、消除影响、赔礼道歉等民事责任外，可以根据受害人一方的请求判令其赔偿相应的精神损害抚慰金。

   Article 9   The solatium for mental distress shall take the following forms:

(1) compensation for disability in the case of disability;

(2) compensation for death in the case of death; and

(3) compensation for mental distress in the case of other forms of damage.

     第九条 精神损害抚慰金包括以下方式：

    (一)致人残疾的，为残疾赔偿金；

    (二)致人死亡的，为死亡赔偿金；

    (三)其他损害情形的精神抚慰金。

   Article 10   The amount of compensation for mental distress shall be determined based on the following factors:

(1) degree of the infringer's fault, unless the law provides otherwise;

(2) specific information regarding the means and place of the harm and the manner of the act of harm;

(3) consequences of the act of tort;

(4) information regarding the benefits obtained by the tortfeasor;

(5) the tortfeasor's financial ability to bear liability; and

(6) average living standard in the area where the court accepting the case is located.

Where any law or administrative regulation contains specific provisions on the amount of compensation for disability or death, such provisions shall apply.

     第十条 精神损害的赔偿数额根据以下因素确定：

    (一)侵权人的过错程度，法律另有规定的除外；

    (二)侵害的手段、场合、行为方式等具体情节；

    (三)侵权行为所造成的后果；

    (四)侵权人的获利情况；

    (五)侵权人承担责任的经济能力；

    (六)受诉法院所在地平均生活水平。

    法律、行政法规对残疾赔偿金、死亡赔偿金等有明确规定的，适用法律、行政法规的规定。

   Article 11   If the victim is at fault for the occurrence of the facts of damage and consequences of damage, the tortfeasor's liability for compensation for mental distress may be reduced or exempted according to the degree of the victim's fault.

     第十一条 受害人对损害事实和损害后果的发生有过错的，可以根据其过错程度减轻或者免除侵权人的精神损害赔偿责任。

   Article 12   With respect to any judicial interpretation that came into force before the implementation of this Interpretation, if the contents of the said judicial interpretation are inconsistent with this Interpretation, this Interpretation shall prevail.

     第十二条 在本解释公布施行之前已经生效施行的司法解释，其内容有与本解释不一致的，以本解释为准。