30 years on: Evolution of Shanghai’s public legal service platform

Since the opening-up of Shanghai's Pudong New Area three decades ago, the city's judicial administrative system has been constantly improving its public legal services, leading to an integrated public legal service network called 12348 Network which includes physical facilities, a hotline and an online smart platform. 

Here's the timeline of the development of public legal services in Shanghai:

1996 – China's first legal consultation hotline launched

On Dec 9, 1996, the country's first legal consultation hotline was launched in the Pudong New Area, aimed at providing the public with high-quality legal services and legal information.

1999 – dedicated legal service line put to use

On March 18, 1999, the Department of Justice of Shanghai and judicial bureaus across the city's 20 districts and counties started to use 16000148, a dedicated legal service line, to offer legal services to the public.

2000 – legal service website launched

On March 17, 2000, a year after the application of the dedicated legal service line, Shanghai launched its legal service website, 148, which was available nationwide.

November 2000 – symposium held for improving legal services provided through 148

Shanghai's first symposium on legal services provided through the dedicated legal service line and website was held in Jiading district.

2002 – dedicated legal consultation line launched

On Jan 15, 2002, the Department of Justice of Shanghai replaced its dedicated legal service line of 16000148 with 12348, a dedicated legal consultation line.

2017 – online public legal service platform launched

On Nov 29, 2017, the online public legal service platform of sh.12348.gov.cn was officially launched to provide legal consultations through the website and the social messaging app WeChat.

The combination of the online platform, the public legal service hotline of 12348 and the four-tiered public legal service facilities has greatly improved the convenience and availability of public legal services in Shanghai.

By March 31, 2020, the number of consultations through the hotline 12348 had exceeded 1.38 million, while the number via the platform was approaching 1.75 million and those made through public legal service facilities had reached 184,632.