Judgeships are becoming a high-risk profession due to the increase in social conflicts and the judicial abuse of power for personal gain. Lately there have been reports of incidents in the lower courts where the parties to lawsuits physically assaulted judges. “A large number of disputes flood the courts without filtering. The courts can hardly handle all the cases and it is very difficult to improve the quality. Errors are inevitable. The public has a high expectation of the courts. So it is so easy for conflicts to get out of hand.” Cases of abuse of power and of lack of impartiality in adjudication also contribute to increased risk for judges becoming the targets of social discontent.
Source: Chongqing Evening News, June 16, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2010-06/16/c_12225019.htm