Of course, China's legal system has a long way to go before it fairly dispenses justice for all. Lawyers say they are frequently stymied by incompetent judges, blatant meddling by local officials and rampant corruption. A degree of transparency in the legal system, they know, is necessary to continue to attract foreign investment. Plus, giving the restive masses an outlet to vent their frustrations can avert the civil disturbances they dread. Reports of riots and protests in the countryside have become increasingly common as farmers' incomes have stagnated and local officials levy ever-higher taxes.
Judges are civil servants who have never worked as lawyers.
Many are demobilized soldiers with only a high school education. Some who have studied law did so at night school or through correspondence courses. Now some courts are starting to require college degrees and specialized training, such as patent law. Zhao said what judges most need is training in ethics. Local courts also are trying to be more user-friendly.