Greater interaction

Li Li, a retired judge from the Wujiagang District People's Court in Yichang, Hubei province, started her mediation career in 2024.

Although her role has changed, she said her commitment to justice and her sense of responsibility in handling cases remained unchanged.

"As a judge, under the pressure of a case settlement deadline, I mostly approached litigants with little patience. As a mediator, I have more time to listen to their stories, difficulties and grievances," said Li.

Guo said compared with judges — who are not allowed to give their personal phone numbers to litigants — mediators can make their contact details available to the public.

"That gives me more time to understand more about the litigants and their thoughts, which is helpful to resolve their disputes at the root,"Guo said.

Hou said she replies to text messages or takes calls from parties, even in the evening or on weekends.

"Some people need to talk things through emotionally. Sometimes, once their feelings are expressed and frustrations aired, the disputes are more than halfway resolved," she said.

Hou said when she was a judge, she had back-to-back hearings every day and simply didn't have the patience to sit through lengthy accounts of a party's complaints and thoughts. "Now, without the pressure of court sessions and case conclusion deadlines, I'm willing to get closer to litigants and spend more time helping deal with their problems," she said.

All the retired judges underscored the importance of communicating with litigants, noting that it better enables them to figure out the root cause of their arguments. These exchanges also help enhance their legal awareness.

Guo said becoming a mediator has given her more energy to visit residential areas, learn about property management companies and community committees, spot legal risks early, and promptly remind regulators to prevent unnecessary disputes.

Chen Guiping, a deputy to the Beijing People's Congress, said the participation of retired judges in dispute resolution has played a big role in standardizing the management of compounds and the promotion of law-based governance at the grassroots level.

In addition to 21 retired judges, the silver-haired mediation team in Chaoyang has also attracted two retired community regulators to join their work, Chen said.

Liu, the president of the Chaoyang court, said with their judicial credibility and expertise, these silver-haired judges have served as a vital bridge between the courts, the public and community regulators. This innovation in dispute resolution will also strengthen legal education among residents and maintain social stability at grassroots level, Liu added.