In Depth: Why China’s Judicial System Is Reforming Its Rigid Evaluation Criteria

In December 2020, Wan Xuancai, then president of the Shunde District Court in Foshan, Guangdong province, delivered a rare verdict of not guilty in a drunk driving case, citing the need for judicial restraint. The defendant, a motorcyclist, was deemed to pose minimal danger and had shown genuine remorse.

Wan’s decision gained renewed attention in 2024 after China’s top legal bodies introduced guidelines that allowed the judicial system to go easier on defendants in certain drunk driving cases. Many hailed Wan’s ruling as “the most compassionate verdict.”