Judicial services have been made more accessible to people with disabilities in recent years, thanks to intensified collaboration between courts and disabled persons' federations.
With details of five landmark cases released on Sunday, National Disability Day, the Supreme People's Court and the China Disabled Persons' Federation reaffirmed their commitment to better protecting individuals with disabilities by improving access to barrier-free judicial services.
In February 2024, the two organizations agreed to improve accessible judicial services for disabled individuals, with the top court stating that safeguarding the legitimate rights of this group is crucial for upholding the rule of law for all groups in society and ensuring public well-being.
Since then, 737 mediation organizations and 2,586 mediators from the national disability federation system have joined an online platform established by the top court. By the end of March, they had successfully mediated 940 disputes under judicial guidance, according to data released on Sunday.
"These numbers demonstrate the effectiveness of our collaborative approach, which reduces legal costs for disabled individuals, provides more accessible legal services and boosts court efficiency," the top court said.
One highlighted case involved a deaf deliveryman surnamed Li, who collided with another rider surnamed Wang while riding his electric bike one evening. Li sustained multiple bruises, and his bike, essential to his livelihood, was severely damaged.
Traffic police found Wang fully responsible for the accident. However, during compensation negotiations, Wang agreed only to cover Li's medical expenses and refused to pay for bike repairs and lost wages. Li then filed a lawsuit against Wang at the Dongcheng District People's Court in Beijing.
Recognizing Li's lack of hearing, the court quickly activated its fast-track service for disabled individuals. Using writing tablets and voice-to-text software, the court assisted Li in preparing his case, in which he sought 2,900 yuan ($426) in compensation for medical costs, bike repairs and lost wages, and prioritized the filing process.
The court also arranged for a professional sign language interpreter through the China Disabled Persons' Federation and invited federation staff to assist with mediation.
After extensive legal explanations and mediation efforts, Wang agreed to transfer the full compensation to Li through a single online payment.
The top court highlighted the mediation as a significant case involving traffic accident liability for non-motor vehicle users and disabled individuals engaged in new forms of employment.
"Many disabled individuals now work as couriers and delivery riders, making traffic accidents a significant occupational risk," the top court said.
It also praised the Beijing court's thoughtful and efficient barrier-free services for disabled people, saying: "Although the process was silent, it gave a voice to the hearing-impaired deliveryman in the judicial system."
The other four cases released on Sunday also focused on key issues affecting disabled individuals in modern employment, including labor compensation, livestreaming tips, consumer rights and personal injury.
While working with local disability federations to improve access to legal services, the top court said some Chinese courts have also strengthened coordination with authorities overseeing employment, transportation, consumer protection and tourism to prevent disputes at the source.
The Shapingba District People's Court in Chongqing handled a case in which a disabled person was injured during a tourism-related dispute.
After identifying inadequate accessible facilities and management shortcomings, the court issued recommendations to the local tourism management committee, urging improvements in service accessibility, quality and convenience.
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