Lin Zhun

Lin Zhun (; 1927–1996), originally named Lin Binguan (), was a Chinese jurist and senior judicial official. He served as Vice President of the Supreme People's Court of China and later as Vice President of the China Law Society. Lin was also a member of the 7th and 8th National Committees of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

Biography

Lin Zhun was born in 1927 in Changle, Fujian. He received his early education locally and later studied at Fujian Provincial Fuzhou Middle School. During his student years, he was influenced by progressive political thought and became involved in underground Party activities and student movements. In 1948, he enrolled at Fu Jen Catholic University in Beiping and later that year secretly traveled to the Jizhong Liberated Area, where he studied at the North China People's University.

In January 1949, Lin was assigned to the Civil Affairs Department of the North China People's Government as a cadre. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, he worked in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Central People's Government, holding various administrative and secretarial posts. He joined the Chinese Communist Party in December 1956.

In April 1959, Lin was transferred to the Supreme People's Court, where he served successively as secretary to Court Presidents Xie Juezai and Jiang Hua, researcher in the Research Office, deputy chief judge of the Criminal Division, and director of the Research Office. He played an important role in judicial policy research and criminal adjudication.

In May 1982, Lin was appointed Vice President of the Supreme People's Court. During his tenure, he was deeply involved in the review and correction of wrongful convictions from the Cultural Revolution period and participated in major legislative discussions, including those related to criminal procedure law. He also oversaw capital case reviews and emphasized strict adherence to legal standards and judicial accuracy.

Lin made significant contributions to the development of juvenile justice in China. He promoted the establishment of juvenile courts and helped formulate judicial guidelines for handling juvenile criminal cases, advocating the principle of combining punishment with education. His work contributed to the institutionalization of China's juvenile justice system.

In December 1988, Lin was appointed deputy party secretary of the Supreme People's Court. In 1991, he became vice president of the China Law Society. He also served as an adjunct professor at Renmin University of China and held leadership roles in several national legal research associations. He died in 1996.