Huang Zhili:A Judge for the People

Huang Zhili， known as “Judge Mercy” to many， serves at a local court in Fujian Province on the southeast coast of China. The 45-yearold jurist presides over the Xiangcheng People’s Court in Zhangzhou City and personally handles about 420 cases annually. After hearing some 5，000 cases over the past 12 years， she believes that mediation is a crucial step to resolving issues before the parties head to court.

In July 2017， she was elected delegate to the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China （CPC） and traveled to Beijing to attend the meeting from October 18 to 24. “In his report to the 19th CPC National Congress， Xi Jinping， general secretary of the CPC Central Committee， noted that we must ensure every dimension of governance is law-based，” declared Huang. “This means a lot to our work.”

After returning from Beijing， Huang immediately began sharing her thoughts and understanding of the essence of the 19th CPC National Congress with locals and her colleagues. “The report pointed out that we must pursue coordinated progress in law-based governance， law-based exercise of state power， and law-based government administration， and promote the integrated development of rule of law for the country， the government， and society，” explained Huang. “As judges， we must apply the law more properly and rationally. We should actively participate in further reform of our judicial system to enhance people’s moral integrity.”

Huang’s commonsense approach to the law has won widespread acclaim and respect from the communities that have benefited from her work. The revered judge has visited every village and community in her court’s jurisdiction， and has spoken with nearly 10，000 plaintiffs and defendants to resolve cases. She has become familiar with a wide array of local customs to better pinpoint the root of every dispute.

“Emotion is usually at the heart of the dispute， which evidences damaged interpersonal relations in our society，” remarked Huang. “Judging cases is not just about delivering a just verdict， but also about repairing damaged relations whether the case is between a couple， parents and children or neighbors.”

She cited a 2010 case that still stands out. It involved two brothers in their seventies who had inherited an old house from their father. In his will， the father left each brother one part of the house， which features a courtyard connecting the two parts. However， due to friction between the men， the younger brother installed an iron gate in the courtyard. In response， the older brother sued for injunctive relief， asking the court to intervene and ensure the property was divided in accordance with their father’s will.

Huang made 12 visits to the brothers during the case because she thought “it would be a shame if they stopped talking to each other.” Her efforts finally paid off： Ultimately the brothers reconciled， and the gate came down. The younger brother was particularly grateful for Huang’s dedication and conceded that maintaining animosity towards his brother would have been a lifelong regret.

Xiong Jianzhou， a construction worker from Guizhou Province， is another beneficiary of Huang’s professionalism and hard work. His employer had been withholding his salary， and after Huang took the case， he received everything he was due. “I thought judges were stern and serious， like in TV dramas，” he said. “But Huang was the first judge I ever met in real life. She has a big smile and seems just like an old friend of mine.”

In 2012， Huang and several colleagues established an office in Xiangcheng District to provide legal services to people in the neighborhood so they wouldn’t need to file lawsuits. Twice a week， the office offered pretrial mediation and legal consultations to local residents， which greatly reduced the volume of lawsuits. The district is now home to five such offices.

Huang credits her late mother for much of her wisdom. She still recalls how warmheartedly her mother treated her neighbors.“We settled in Zhangzhou after moving from another city when I was young，” she revealed. “My mother would offer a hand to anyone who needed help whether she knew them or not.”

“I treat every case like sowing seeds，”she continued. “Some seeds are about abiding by the law while others are about love and friendship. I’m not sure whether every seed will sprout and grow， but I am grateful if just a few of the seeds which I planted grow. The mission of the Party is to serve the people. As a Party member， I will strive to serve as a bridge between the Party and the people.”