Cases to be chosen as guide for judges' tough decisions

Reference to previous rulings can help bring consistency, credibility to verdicts, experts say

Judge Li Xiao always had questions about how to sentence a man who kills another when the victim had also committed a grave error. But thanks to some guidance issued by China's top court, using specific cases to advise grassroots courts, he found an answer.

"Sometimes it is hard to punish offenders when victims also did something wrong. In a country with developed statutory law, different judges might have different opinions on the same legal clause," said Li, a senior judge of the Beijing Chaoyang District People's Court.