State paid millions to redress legal error

The Supreme People's Court in Beijing on January 6, 2014. The court heard more than 2,000 cases in 2013 seeking compensation for wrongful actions by the State. [WANG JING/CHINA DAILY]

Some courts issued improper verdicts after interference by local governments, which blocks the pace of building true justice, Cheng said.

"Residents will respect judgments and will turn to the law to solve disputes when they know our laws can protect them. Otherwise some will prefer other solutions, such as petitions or violence," he said.

The legal environment improved after national leaders raised the rule of law in the Fourth Plenum of 18th Communist Party of China Central Committee in October, and urged all courts to deal with petitions according to law.

"It's good for judicial organs to make court procedures transparent and avoid wrongful convictions, as well as for the public to increase its legal awareness," Cheng said.

Bi Yuqian, a researcher at the China University of Political Science and Law, said people who intentionally disturb judicial officers and regard petitioning as their job should also be punished.

"It's good to see that the police haven't made conviction rates their priority since last year, and I think that will reduce wrongful detentions and help decrease petitioning," said Bi, who also works for the National Judges College.

The top court also said on Dec 23 that it has canceled a convictions ranking used to evaluate a court's performance, hoping judges will devote more time to trials.

However, Ruan Chuansheng, a criminal lawyer in Shanghai, said it is still difficult to fully resolve the country's abundant petitions in legal ways.

"It will take a long time for us to root out all the wrongful cases. The emergency now is to ensure every mistake can be punished and that each reform is enforced," he added.