"Ma'am, the trial will start at 9 am tomorrow. Please don't forget to bring your ID card and lawsuit materials," judge Bai Yun keeps reminding the litigants of court rules on the phone.

The litigants she handles are special because they are all over the age of 60.

"When I am old, I hope young people will also have more patience with me."

With this in mind, the young judge from Northeast China has taught herself Shanghai dialect so that she can better handle the issues of the local elderly with her expertise and patience.