[JURIST] Former vice-president of China's Supreme People's Court (SPC) [official website, in Chinese] Huang Songyou will stand trial on corruption charges, according to Sunday media reports. Prosecutors have not yet completed their investigation against Huang, who is accused of accepting 4 million yuan in bribes, but they are expected to turn the case over to the court soon. Huang will be the highest-ranking judge to be charged with corruption [China Daily report] since the founding of the People's Republic of China. His first-instance trial is expected to begin in March.

In August, the Communist Party of China (CPC) revoked [JURIST report] Huang's membership, following a corruption investigation. He was also fired [China Daily report] from his official position in the court. In March, the Supreme People's Court pledged to take steps to eliminate judicial corruption [JURIST report] with improved ethics education. Huang was removed [JURIST report] from his position as vice president of the court in October 2008 by a vote of the legislators.