Learning lessons from judges
Li Qi, 25, a doctoral student specializing in the Constitution and administrative law at China University of Political Science and Law, was an intern at the Supreme People’s Court in 2016. He talked to Cao Yin about the lessons he learned from judges on effectively helping litigants.
An elderly couple whose son died in a detention house after being caught for intentional injury in Hunan province impressed me a lot when I worked for the top court’s State compensation department from May to November in 2016.
Wiping away tears, the couple bowed to the court when we met them. On that day, they came to us to withdraw their application for State compensation for their son, because our judges had ordered local police to apologize to them and take the initiative to pay the money for their mistake.
It meant the couple did not need to get the compensation through a lawsuit. Such an efficient way not only saved their time, but was also aimed at reducing their distress over the death of their son.
Instead of just telling the couple the decision and letting them go away, our judges explained laws to them, understood their difficulties in life and showed great compassion to the family.
From the judges, I learned how to try my best to solve cases. The explanation or the talk was easy for us, but it could reduce the distance with litigants, becoming the biggest force to overcome their difficulties as well as the best way for them to understand the court’s work.
In another case, I took a business trip to Zhenjiang, Jiangsu province, to help a man who developed an eye disease while serving a prison sentence in Guizhou province.
Although the litigant’s situation meant he did not qualify for the State compensation he applied for, our judges still decided to help him apply for other compensation available through the court system.
The man was too emotional to control himself and also argued with officials after his release, so local administrations were reluctant to coordinate with us to help at first. But after we communicated with the authorities time and again, the aid was finally given.
Those two cases during the internship made me better understand what the court does and how hard its work is. The experience also showed me that solving disputes should begin with little things.
Although I am at law school for further study, I believe the internship, something I treasure, will contribute to my ability to solve any problems in future.